Oblivinations
by Silver Supa
Summary: It starts out with a simple detention with some magic mirrors, and the next thing Akko knows, she finds herself not just having dreams, but actually reliving almost strange, distorted, versions of every adventure she's had at Luna Nova. Which tends not to be the best thing, all in all. There's only one thing she knows for sure. This is a birthday she won't soon forget.
1. Reflect on What You've Done Here

Akko gave her broom a quick once over. It was about the fourth time she had done so, but _this_ time she was satisfied that it was absolutely perfect. And with that, she stepped back out and joined Professor Nelson out in the field, only really slowing to bask in the sunshine.

This was her favorite month of the year, after all.

June was a pretty happy time for Akko. At least, that's how it typically went for her for the previous 16 Junes of her life. For one thing, June meant summer break. Classes ended and the vacation finally began. And that meant no big responsibilities hanging over her head, no work to do. Just free time to spend having fun.

But of course, for Akko the real reason she liked June was because the end of it was birthday. And this being her seventeenth, she was in an especially good mood. Even from the moment she woke up on the first of June, she had been excited.

All week, she found herself remembering her previous birthdays. She could remember going to see the early summer festivals with her parents when she was a little kid. She remembered going to all the pools and beaches she could get to all throughout her middle school years. When she got her favorite Alcor plushie for her 7th birthday, or the phone she got for her 13th.

Of course, she had spent her last birthday at Luna Nova, having stayed behind during summer vacation for remedial lessons, which hadn't gone _exactly_ as planned, but even with that adventure, she still enjoyed having Lotte, Sucy, and Ursula spend her birthday with her.

This year, however, she decided she was going to catch a plane back home, and celebrate her birthday in Japan with her folks. As much as she loved Luna Nova, she had to admit, it was hard not to get homesick sometimes. Every now and again, she'd find herself simply missing the sound of Japanese itself.

Maybe it was because she was older now, but she was pretty sure she wasn't allowed to say she was old until she was, like, 25 or something.

But unfortunately, it seemed like life once again had other plans. Or at least that's what she found out when she got the letter from her parents on the third of June.

A minor fender bender happened only a few days before the house payment came due, which meant that, right now, the cost of a plane ticket from England to Japan was out of the question. The Kagaris did have some emergency funds put away, so it wasn't that Akko was stuck here for the entire summer. But they wouldn't be able to fly her home until closer to mid-July.

But that was fine, Akko supposed. Flying a plane was how she first got to Luna Nova, but now, more than a year later, she knew there was more than one way to fly.

"I hope you're watching closely, Professor Nelson! Because I'm about to nail this test!"

"Course I'm watching." Nelson said dryly. "Wouldn't be a very good test if I wasn't even payin' attention."

Now that Yggdrasil had been revived, and magical energy had steadily been seeping off its branches and flowering out into the world, (' _You're welcome for that by the way'_ Akko thought with a justified hint of smugness) sorcerer's stones were slowly becoming obsolete.

And since it was no longer necessary to worry about a broom's batteries, students were now allowed to fly off-campus, wherever and whenever.

…With special permission, of course. Luna Nova still liked their rules and restrictions after all. But all Akko had to do was pass this test, get the special riding permit signed, then she could just fly home all on her own, no worries and no hassle.

Nelson hesitated, glancing down at the wand in her hand.

"…You're sure you're up to this, Kagari? Not that I don't encourage all my students to test their limits, but…well, Japan is a _long_ ways away, even for an experienced rider."

"I rode the Shooting Star, didn't I?" Akko said. "Twice even! Something like this'll be easy!"

Nelson gave a half shrug. "Well, I'd be lying if I said you hadn't surprised me before. But knowing what you're planning to do, you're gonna have to _really_ wow me here."

With a quick wave of her wand, Nelson cast out over a dozen holographic rings that wasted no time in floating to their preset spots across the field. Akko had spied on some other students taking the test before, and she had to admit, the obstacle course looked more intimidating up close.

But all she had to do was make ten laps around the perimeter, going through every single one of the moving rings as she did so, and she would prove she had the skill, control, and endurance to ride a broom totally unsupervised.

She had already come a _long_ way since the first day she attended Nelson's class, over a year ago, when she (maybe sorta) embarrassed herself in front of the whole class. And Akko wasn't known for giving up easily.

" _Tia Freyre!_ "

The broom immediately floated up from the ground without incident, much to Akko's satisfaction. Easy part taken care of.

Ever since she managed to get her broom to hover last March, she had been practicing her butt off almost every day, and she thought she had done pretty well for herself. She could get it to hover on command now at least 50% of the time. And on good days, she could even steer it too. Ursula might've been proud.

Nelson readied her finger on her stopwatch. "Give it your best, Kagari! Let's see how much you learned."

"Okay!" Akko pointed her finger forward, a determined smile on her face. "It's showtime!"

Magic coursed through her being, and flowed into the bristles of her broom. The broom was rumbling, practically purring. She could actually feel the energy of the flight magic in her hands, just waiting to be unleashed. The broom shot off like a smoking bullet from a gun, shocking even Nelson.

It also had, in its blistering speed, flown off without Akko actually on top of it.

And also, backwards.

Akko managed to remove her face from its newly acquainted spot on the dirt, and pushed herself upwards just in time to see the momentum carry the broom, straight and true, right through the upper window of the cafeteria.

She was too far away to see the _immediate_ reaction, but as she soon found out, Professor Finnelan had not entirely appreciated the interruption to her afternoon tea time.

* * *

Two hours, and one lecture about proper behavior for a growing witch later, Akko found herself in another place filled with many personal memories:

Detention, this time with Professor Badcock.

Finnelan and Badcock had decided the best punishment was for her to take a rag, a bucket of water, and a bottle of fairy dust, and clean every single magical mirror in the basement lockup of Luna Nova. Akko didn't bother to count how many there were, because she was pretty sure putting a number on it would make her feel even worse.

Her favorite month had _not_ started out on a good note.

She did try, at least a little, to think about the positives. Like the fact that Diana had volunteered to supervise Akko's detention for the professors. It had largely been an excuse for her to see Akko tonight, but Diana was more than happy to stay to let Akko vent to her.

Akko sighed, and not for the first time that night. "It wasn't even my fault the broom did that either. I don't think anyone _else_ would've been punished for an accident. I bet if that didn't happen, I could've done it."

"Well…" Diana thought it over. "I'm afraid I'd have to agree. Crossing an entire ocean on a broom is dangerous, even for professionals. I'm not saying you _couldn't_ have. It's just…if something goes wrong, you'd be stranded with nowhere to land and no guarantee you're even close to civilization."

Akko powdered the mirror she was next to with fairy dust, to counteract any spirit within. "I could've done it." She grumbled. "I've been practicing forever, but I just blow it when it comes to big important stuff like tests and everything."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Akko." Diana said gently. "You couldn't even get a broom up in the air at all when you first came here. You've improved a great deal in a short amount of time. That's no small feat."

"Maybe." Akko took the rag, dipped it in the bucket of water, and began to scrub the mirror of years' worth of dust, grime and general disuse. "But I can't fly myself back, and I can't get my parents to fly me back either. I'm gonna completely miss my own birthday."

"I…realize this isn't what you wanted for your birthday, but if it's any consolation, I'm sure we'd all be delighted to celebrate your birthday here in the meantime. You won't have to spend it alone either way."

Akko grabbed the fairy dust, bucket, and rag and moved on to the next mirror in line. Diana remained only a step behind her. "We had it all planned out and everything though. Dad was gonna take us to the park, and they got me a red velvet cake, and it had like this rainbow frosting they use on the edges, and plus they use all these sprinkles…"

"That…sounds complex."

Akko powdered the mirror with fairy dust. "And now I'm not gonna be able to eat it until like the middle of July…"

"You can't be mad at your parents, Akko. It was just unfortunate timing."

"I'm not mad at my parents. I'm just annoyed because these unfortunate timings are always happening to me. If it's not my broom not working, it's getting detention, or some other really bad thing. It just feels like I can't do anything right sometimes."

Akko reached up to begin washing the next mirror, only for Diana to slow her hand with her own. She looked over, meeting soft blue eyes.

"I can think of a number of things you've done right." She said. "And another number of things you've done that no one else could've done. Nothing ever goes as simply as we want it to, but I like to believe the good witches are the ones who can take the worst circumstances and grow into their own in spite of them."

"You…" Akko found herself almost at a loss for words. "…and…do you think I'm a good witch then?"

"A _great_ witch." Diana said, without hesitation.

Diana's thumb brushed against Akko's knuckles, and the sensation made her stomach flutter. Diana used to smile so rarely, that sometimes Akko almost had trouble looking at her in the eyes when she did.

But Diana quickly straightened up, pulling her hand back, when Professor Badcock finally returned from whatever errand she had left to take care of.

"Miss Cavendish." The professor said, as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "It's almost curfew. You should head back up to your dorms for the night."

Akko sat up. "What about me?"

"You need to finish this last row, and then I'll personally escort you back to your room."

Akko reflexively glanced down the line of mirrors, and tried not to groan as she saw how many there were. And now that Diana was leaving, the rest of her night was not shaping up to be very fun.

Diana chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment, before stepping forward. "Forgive me if I'm overstepping my bounds here, Professor, but I'd like to keep supervising if Akko's still going to be in here. I don't believe it's wise to deal with magic mirrors without someone keeping a close eye."

"You needn't worry, Diana." Badcock waved her hand. "I _am_ still the professor here."

"I…wasn't questioning your abilities." Diana did her best not to fidget. "But…it really isn't any trouble for me to keep watch. I would gladly keep doing it if it would help."

"Nonsense!" Badcock said, slightly abashed. "You've done more than enough to help today. Please, let me take over this task so that you may rest!"

"I just wouldn't want there to be any incidents with any spirits lingering in the mirrors. I'm just concerned about the safety of my fellow students." Diana said, which was absolutely true, if phrased in the most indirect way humanly possible.

"I assure you, we've already taken the most dangerous and mischievous mirrors out of her long ago." Badcock continued. "And besides! There's hardly any danger to be had from these old things. These mirrors have been inert for decades. Some of them haven't had a reaction since all the way back in the Golden Age of Magic."

As if just to prove her point, she pointed her wand and hit the glass of a nearby one with a simple energy spell. The bolt crackled across the surface, before fizzling uselessly away. The mirror had barely reacted.

"…So I see." Diana pursed her lips. "If you're absolutely sure, then I suppose I can go."

"By all means!" Badcock nodded. "Have a good night, Miss Cavendish. The young should enjoy their vacations after all!"

Badcock chortled at her own joke, not noticing the look Akko and Diana shared. Diana seemed pensive, but forced a smile for Akko's sake.

"I know today has been…trying, but I'm sure everything will look better soon."

"Yeah…" Akko sighed. "I guess they usually do."

"Well…if you're still feeling down, come see me in the morning, okay? I'm always available to talk, if need be."

"I know, I know." Akko nodded mechanically. "Thanks Diana. Night."

"…Yes. Good night, Professor Badcock, Akko. Give my regards to Lotte and Sucy when you see them."

With one last, small smile, Diana turned and left for the night.

Badcock adjusted her glasses once more. "Do try to get done soon, Miss Kagari. It's quite late, and I have papers to catch up on."

" _Yes_ , Professor…"

Badcock had stood and supervised her closely for half an hour, which had been significantly less fun than when Diana was the one doing it. And once she was convinced enough that Akko understood the basic pattern of fairy dust-water-rag, she decided to occupy herself organizing some shelfs on the opposite side of the room.

Half a dozen mirrors later, Akko was almost starting to _wish_ these things had magic juice left in them. At least it would break up the monotony.

She dusted, wet, and washed a silver mirror with hearts engraved on it, then moved on dust, wet, and wash to a bronze one with vines engraved on it, then she dusted, wet, and washed another silver one, except this one had a picture of a dragon on it instead, which was almost an exciting change of pace.

She continued down the line. Dust, wet, wash, dust, wet, wash, until she finally got to the last one. This mirror had a gold frame, and that was about the only thing worth noting about it at all. Detention was just as fun as the last time she took it.

She wet her rag, and began to wash the surface, yet another sigh escaping her lips as she did so. She was gonna be stuck here forever. This basement, Luna Nova, Europe.

…She missed her cat. If things had gone better, she could've been at home, spending time with her cat. Instead, she was here, washing a crusty old mirror.

Akko looked up at her reflection, grimacing at her bangs sticking to her forehead. She wiped the sweat off with the back of her sleeve and dipped her rag back into the bucket. At this point, she just wanted to go to bed and have this rotten day be over already.

Squeezing out the extra water from her rag, she looked up in the mirror to see not herself, but Shiny Chariot reflected in the glass, looking just as she did when Akko first saw her show all those years ago. Except she didn't remember ever seeing Shiny Chariot on her knees holding a wet rag.

Akko tilted her head. Shiny Chariot tilted her head right back.

Akko, with some confusion, waved her hand. Shiny Chariot waved back.

Akko stood to her feet, inspecting the mirror closer. And as though it were her own reflection, the Shiny Chariot in the mirror did it right back to her.

"Heh." A small smile worked its way onto Akko's lips, and she took her best pose. "A believing heart is your magic!"

Call it nostalgia, but seeing her old idol say her motto did make her feel a little better. But before she could dwell on that too long, a strange light flashed across the mirror, and when Akko looked back, she found herself staring, this time, at Diana's reflection.

She had to look down at herself to confirm she had not actually just transformed into Diana Cavendish, again. She doubted the other girl would find that little trick endearing a fourth time.

' _These mirror…wasn't supposed to have any magic left, right?'_ She thought to herself. ' _So how is it…?'_

She played with her hair for a moment, and watched as the Diana in the glass did the same to her own wavy blonde tresses. This…seemed like something she should probably be concerned about, but she had to admit, this was a little fun.

Akko crossed her arms in a haughty way. "Hm, you really _must_ be more responsible, Akko." She tutted at herself. "You are quite truly a handful, for one so cute!"

She had to stifle her laughter, to keep Badcock from noticing her goofing off. But it was hard not to giggle when "Diana" called her cute.

The light flickered across the mirror once more, and Diana's reflection was now replaced with Sucy's. Akko didn't know what this was, but she was starting to get the rules of this little game. She made a nasty face in the mirror.

"Nyerr…" She sneered, rolling her upper lip. "You're an idiot, Akko."

And once again, the reflection of Sucy disappeared, and began to be replaced by someone else. Akko eagerly leaned in closer to see who would pop in next, instead of her own reflection.

There was something….else, that was not reflected in the mirror, however. The green mist emanating from the mirror's frame. Akko played with reflection after reflection, utterly unaware of the magical energy forming around her head, steadily probing deeper and deeper into her memories.

She smiled as the next one appeared in the glass, a certain soft-hearted creature she had met back in Lotte's hometown.

"Oh, it's the Yeti! I haven't thought about him in forever!"

She made deep, bassy gorilla noises, and struggled not to laugh as she did so. The light flickered across the glass, and she found herself looking at a former professor with lavender hair and a blood red cloak.

"Ooh, it's Croix!" Akko beamed. "Okay, um…"

Actually, she wasn't totally sure _what_ she should make Croix say.

After a moment's thought, Akko put on an exaggerated mean face. "…Bleep blorp I like making robots!"

She couldn't keep a straight face for that one, breaking down into silly, happy, giggles. But her fun was cut unfortunately short with the sound of sharp heels on the ground and an unamused voice.

" _Miss Kagari_." Badcock glared. "I see you're having fun, so am I right to assume you are _completely_ finished?"

Akko blinked. "…I…um…the thing is…" She glanced back at the mirror, but saw only her own reflection. Everything had gone back to normal in the blink of an eye. Badcock didn't even seem to have seen any of it. She was just mad at seeing Akko laughing to herself.

"Well?" Badcock tapped her foot.

"Yes?" Akko decided. "Yeah, that was the last mirror. I'm done."

Badcock nodded, and quickly ushered Akko back up to her room with a quick lecture on ethics that Akko diligently pretended to pay attention to. It was probably better not to tell Badcock about the mirror anyway. Even assuming it was anything, which it might not be, the way today was going? Badcock would think it was her fault anyway.

Still, it had lifted her spirits a little. And maybe Diana was right, and she'd feel better in the morning. Diana usually had a sense about these things. So Akko went to bed that night weary, still bummed out, but hopeful nonetheless.

A good night's sleep would be just what she needed to get over this funk she was in.

* * *

Once Akko finished, went back to her room and went to bed, the storage room had been locked up tight. There were neither windows nor any other way into the room, and so for several hours, the freshly cleaned magic mirrors sat unwatched in the dark room, and all was as quiet and still as it should've been.

Until sometime in between the late hours of the night and the early hours of the morning, when from some unearthly source, light began to flicker across the surface of the golden mirror. This time it did not produce any reflections, magical or otherwise.

Like a projector, or a window into the past, visions played across the mirror, echoing throughout the silent room, colors and sights flashing rapidly across the glass. A witch, awaiting advice from the mythical Fountain of Polaris in front of her. The sound of wind rushing by, the rider of the legendary broom neck and neck with Diana Cavendish. A hug, and a promise of forgiveness from the student to her professor in the depths of Arcturus Forest. A quiet sigh of relief from within the Horologium Room, as the weary girl returned from the sealed door.

Soon after, the visions came more and more rapidly. Almost seventeen years' worth of places and people and events flashed across the mirror in only seconds, until the glass's surface was nothing but an nondescript blur of light, bright enough to illuminate the entire room.

And then, like liquid, the light began to drip from the mirror like liquid, until it finally cooled into a sickly green puddle. It seeped into the ground, spreading wider and wider…until it was finally sure there was no one around to see it.

The puddle began to move, small twitches and palpitations turned into snake-like slithering, as it coiled around itself, forming into a sphere. Once it was satisfied with its shape, it floated up from the ground without incident.

It squeezed itself through the keyhole of the door without any resistance, and quickly darted into the upper corner of the hallway, where it would remain unseen. It had a _long_ way to travel to its destination.

But it knew instinctively which way to go.

It traveled up the stairs and into the main hallway. It stuck to the shadows, only slowing when the footsteps of Professor Finnelan patrolled through the halls. She passed by, completely unaware. And once it was satisfied, it continued all the way up to the West Dormitory.

It didn't take long for it to find its room. Easily slipping through the keyhole, it quickly darted up to the darkest corner of the dorm room to confirm its surroundings. Lotte, Sucy, and Akko were all fast asleep.

It inched its way down from the corner, and slipped towards the lower bunk bed. It remembered that by this time they would all be in bed, but it hadn't desired to take the risk. So it floated over, slowly, making its way next to Akko's forehead.

"Puh…po…" Akko murmured in her sleep. "…potato…"

She was already dreaming. That was perfect.

The spirit of the golden mirror no longer needed to bother maintaining its physical form, and so it once again faded into a mist and disappeared from any kind of sight. Into the memories that had once more given it a chance at being.

There hadn't been anyone around to see it, obviously. But if there had, it might've looked like an ethereal hand, slowly brushing at Akko's bangs.

* * *

 _A.N. Next Time, "Starting Over…Again?"_ _Diana plans a little something something for Akko, but who knows what that could be. And surely this strange…whatever it is isn't going to do anything, and it certainly isn't going to involve Arcturus Forest or any angry cockatrices._

 _I dunno how far we'll get by the time Akko's birthday hits, but we'll see, I guess! I've had a lot of fun planning this one out, and writing all the fluff and humor and occasional sad thing that I could stand._


	2. Starting Over Again?

Akko wasn't sure what just happened. Everything had gone black, and she was snapped…awake? It felt like that was the wrong word, but she wasn't sure why.

The last thing she remembered was going to bed after detention last night and having a nice dream. She couldn't quite remember what that dream was about, (something about potatoes?) but she knew she had been suddenly snapped from it.

Had she been sleepwalking? She tried to wipe the blurriness from her eyes with her sleeve, and when things gradually came into focus, she found herself staring at the fabric of her favorite orange jacket.

And then she realized, this was _not_ in her bedroom in Luna Nova. She was in the middle of some dark corner of Arcturus Forest. The way it looked before the Grand Triskellion had brought color and life back into it.

When the rest came into focus, she registered Lotte standing right next to her. In front of her was Sucy, in casual Filipino clothing, as opposed to her uniform. And Sucy just trapped them in some sort of big, ball-shaped net.

Akko remembered this. This was her first day. The first day she went to Luna Nova, got the Shiny Rod, met Lotte and Sucy.

Sucy was straddling her broom, explaining how she had just accidentally called herself a snack for a cockatrice to come eat, but Akko was hardly paying attention. All this felt…strangely conscious.

She squeezed the net, the course weaved rope prickling against the inside of her fist. She could hear the distant ambience of other animals and monsters that lived in the forest. The wind against her skin, the sound of Lotte's panicked gasp. All the sensations she ought to have felt if she was actually back on her first day.

Sucy's toothy smirk drained from her face. "You… _did_ hear me, right? You literally just offered yourselves up as sacrifice to any monster in this forest."

Akko's eyes wandered across the barren and lifeless forest that now surrounded her. ' _What's going on here anyway? Am I time travelling again, or is this just some super involved dream?'_

"Anybody home in that thick skull of yours?" Sucy glared at her. "I'm…I'm talking to you. Right now…Hello?"

' _How_ _did I get here? And what even_ is _here?_ '

Sucy let out a huff. "Fine, don't pay attention. But you better get moving if you don't wanna turn into some creature's food."

She flew away, and Akko knew her well enough to guess she was annoyed that she didn't get enough of a reaction out of them. Or out of her, at least. Lotte, who evidently _hadn't_ lived all this before, was going out of her mind.

"I…I can't believe she just did that!" She wailed. "She's…she's using us as bait!"

"Oh that's right, yeah." Akko nodded to herself. "She wanted a cockatrice feather back then, didn't she?"

As if on cue, the giant trees behind them cracked and splintered behind them. Immovable rocks and thick tree trunks were crushed under the massive girth of one of the forbidden forest's deadliest creatures. With an ear-splitting roar, the cockatrice reared its heads.

This whole day was coming back to her now. She was actually feeling a tinge of nostalgia.

The blood drained from Lotte's face. Her shaking knees threatened to give out under her. "W-we're gonna get eaten! O-or turned to stone! We're gonna-!"

Akko grabbed a handhold at the top of the net and yanked it downward to, quite literally get the ball rolling, figuring she might as well do what worked the first time. Lotte yelped as she suddenly lost her footing.

"Augh! What are you-?"

"C'mon, keep up!" Akko said. "Just grab it and push!"

Lotte finally seemed to catch on, and wasted no time in trying to help Akko roll the ball as far away from the angry cockatrice as she could. She clearly wasn't as good at keeping her balance as Akko was, but that was hardly fair, considering this was the second time Akko was in this exact place.

"You're getting it!" Akko cheered her on. "Just keep pushing faster!"

"I didn't even think of doing something like this!" Lotte gasped out.

"It's called thinking on your feet!" Akko giggled. "Hee, get it? Because we're running inside the thing, right?"

"H-how can you make jokes at a time like this?"

"Ah, I deal with this sorta thing all the time. It's no big deal."

"No big-?" Lotte cocked her head. "W-what do you _mean_ you deal with this all the time?"

"I mean, yeah. I've gotten chased and almost eaten by all kinds of monsters. Ghosts, cockatrices, polar bears. Met a dragon once, but he was just an old dude. But he had these little _robotic_ dragon minions that attacked us. Plus the monsters that came with those red cube thingies. Oh, and I guess all the ones in the Horologium Chamber too."

"You…"Lotte sputtered. "…you can't just… _say_ something like that. Who deals with that many…? Those aren't…? _What?!_ "

Akko didn't know what else to say, other than let out a slightly abashed chuckle.

' _Poor Lotte. With that attitude she's in for a rough time._ '

Akko was reminded of her current circumstances when she heard an angry roar from the cockatrice still hot on their tails. She honestly had sort of forgotten it was there. When this happened the first time around, she had been putting all her strength into her rolling and the monster still caught up.

Here, she was distracted and she was still outpacing it. Maybe it was just because she already knew what was coming, or maybe all that life threatening peril really had made her stronger since her freshman year. This all just seemed easier now.

The bottom of the ball suddenly slammed into a root that had been jutting out from the ground, and almost as easily as it had the first time, the ball simply snapped as the magic ropes lost any rigidness they once had.

Lotte tumbled to the ground. Akko surprised herself by managing to land on her feet. She doubted she would've had the equilibrium to do that a year ago.

Akko reached down to help Lotte up, as her soon-to-be roommate tried to catch her breath. "This…this is crazy." She panted. "And that girl left us…for a _feather?_ "

"Nah, trust me. Sucy acts all tough and mean, but she's actually nice deep down. _Really_ deep down, but still! You learn to like her. Oh, but we should probably keep running!"

Akko wasn't even running that fast, but Lotte still struggled to keep pace. Even beyond just being out of breath, Lotte was completely and utterly lost.

"I…I don't think she's a bad person, but…you're…being _awfully_ casual about all of this! We're running for our lives!"

"Like I said, no big deal! Really, once you take down a giant missile together, it's kinda hard to take this kinda stuff personally."

"…Who _are_ you?!"

Now that Akko thought about it, she found herself excited by the idea of finding her Shiny Rod again. With how much Shiny Chariot defined her childhood, it was still odd to think that that chapter in her life was technically over, with the staff gone and her once untouchable idol now an approachable professor. It'd be like being reunited with an old friend.

As her eyes ran over the forest, searching for the brambles where the Shiny Rod had first laid dormant over a year ago, she noticed Lotte had at some point, stopped needing to catch her breath.

And when she noticed that, she realized something else. Everything had gone quiet.

The footsteps of the cockatrice had disappeared.

She skidded to a halt, and took a moment to look around. Neither the monser's chicken head or its snake head were anywhere to be seen. There was absolutely nothing moving to be seen. She planted her hands on her hips.

"Huh. I didn't think I was running that fast...see what I'm talking about Lotte? It's not so hard!"

Lotte didn't respond.

"Lotte? You okay?"

Lotte stopped next to her, and shyly adjusted her glasses. "Um...can I ask you another question real quick?"

"Of course! What's up?"

"Do you actually know what you're doing here, Akko?"

"Do I…what?"

The firmness of her tone had caught her flatfooted. She sounded little withdrawn, like Lotte always was, but so much more direct than she was only seconds ago.

"Oh, well…I'm just curious, is all." Lotte continued. "It's just a little funny. How confident you seem here, even if you don't know what's going on."

Akko shrugged. "I guess with this kinda thing, you could call it muscle memory."

"You've done quite a lot, haven't you? You got to wield a weapon forged by Woodward, and you won Beatrix's favor, but well, I just wanna know what you do if Sucy didn't show up to save you here. You always seem to rely on her, or me, or Diana and Ursula to fix everything for you."

Akko was about to share some choice words about how she could absolutely handle herself, but as she looked at Lotte's dissonant this serene expression, she paused.

"Wait..." She realized. "How do you know about that? That stuff hasn't happened yet."

"That attitude right there is exactly what I'm talking about. You just really don't seem like the type that's capable enough to _do_ these things. It makes me a little curious. O-oh, but I already said that, didn't I? Sorry."

Lotte giggled, politely covering her mouth with her hand.

"Lotte...?" Akko's eyes narrowed. "You seem…weird."

"Well, you see, it's..." She trailed off, and let out a sad sigh. "Oh...This…this is going on for too long, isn't it? It was my fault for getting here so late at night. I guess we need to hurry this up."

"What are you talking about? What do we need to hurry up for?"

As if to answer her question, the cockatrice roared violently, evidently having caught up with the two of them once more.

"Oh, right, forgot about that." Akko realized. "Here, let's g-!"

Just as Akko began to run forward, her foot was suddenly yanked backwards and she fell to the ground, hard. From out of nowhere, thin, thorny vines had sprouted from the ground, twisting and coiling themselves up her calves.

With another booming roar, cracking through the dead forest, the cockatrice stepped into view, instantly spying Akko lying prone on the ground.

In the sky around it, where Sucy _should've_ been flying, there was nothing to be seen. Nor was there any sign of Ursula, rushing to her rescue. They were supposed to be there. She knew where they were the first time. But now, there was nothing standing between her and the monster now taking slow, predatory steps forwards.

Akko's hands went to the vines, ripping and tearing at any she could get her hands on, only to hit it at the wrong angle. A thorn sliced right through the fabric of her jacket.

It left a dark red cut running down the inside of her forearm. It was hardly a bad cut but...it had hurt.

Every anecdote Akko ever heard said that if you pinched yourself, you woke up. Even if pain didn't immediately wake her up, she wasn't supposed to be able to feel it...was she?

"Lotte, you gotta help me get this off!"

Lotte neatly folded her hands in front of her skirt, and bowed politely. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "But I actually do think you can get out of this yourself. I promise I'll try to do more the next night."

The vines weren't incredibly hard to rip out, but there were so many. Too many. It felt like every time she tore one off, there were two more just beneath it.

"What are you talking about?!" Akko cried. "Help me get these off! Or that thing's gonna eat us both!"

But when she looked up, Lotte was simply gone, as though she had vanished into thin air. Akko looked around, desperate to figure out which direction she had run off. But she didn't see her anywhere, not even footsteps in the dirt.

The only thing she managed to see was the cockatrice stomping its way over, opening its beak hungrily.

Akko snapped her attention back to the vines, grabbing fistfuls at a time and pulling with all her might.

"C'mon…come on!" She begged, to anyone who might listen. "Please!"

She tried to tune out the thundering footsteps behind her. If she thought too much about it, she knew she would never get herself free in time. Focus on the roots. Not on how the footsteps kept getting louder and louder.

A voice was carried to her across the wind. _"Akko…_ " she called out. " _Akko…_ "

She tuned it out, ripping as many vines as she could. She heard one final footstep, and then it stopped. It was close. The creature was practically right on top of her.

" _Akko._ " The voice called again.

The cockatrice reared its head back, and a hot ball of steam shot forth from its beak. Time seemed to slow. Everything the monster's breath touched began to turn to stone. It would hit her in seconds. There were still too many brambles wrapped around her ankle.

Even if by some miracle she got them all off right now…

There wasn't enough time to move. She tore another vine away. She couldn't outrun this thing on foot. She threw the next vine off and her hands flew to the next one. She could hear the forest behind her crackling as it was frozen into cold dead stone. She ripped a vine from the ground and went to work on the one underneath it. She could feel the heat of its breath closing in on the back of her neck.

And then Akko was thrown from her bed to the floor.

"GAH!"

"Akko!"

Lotte called out once more, reaching down to pick her up from the pile of blankets at the foot of their bunk bed. "Are you okay?"

She was...back in her dorm. On the floor? No forest, no cockatrice. She was still in her school blouse, having not really bothered to do more than unstrap a few buttons after she got back from detention last night.

Sucy and Lotte were standing over her bed, the former holding Akko's bedsheets in her hand, having evidently yanked them out from under her, sending her tumbling to the floor.

"There, see?" Sucy smirked. "Told you that would wake her up."

Akko tried to catch her breath. Her heart was still hammering in her chest. And now she had suddenly been jerked out of it, whatever it was. "L-Lotte? Sucy? I…I don't...what's going on…?"

"It's two in the afternoon, genius." Sucy said matter-of-factly. "I wouldn't have cared, but Lotte didn't think you'd wanna spend the whole day sleeping."

"Sorry." Lotte said, much more bashfully. "You were tossing and turning all over the place, and you weren't waking up. I, um, was a little worried."

Akko squinted at the girl in front of her. "Lotte?" She repeated. "That's…that _is_ you, right?"

"Y-yes? It's me, Akko. Are you okay? Was it a bad dream?"

Akko parted her lips, but she honestly couldn't imagine what to say.

But she was pretty sure it had just been a dream. A weirdly involved dream, but ultimately just…nothing important. It'd probably just weird Lotte out if she told her about it, especially with how the girl had acted just before the cockatrice.

"Don't worry about it." Akko decided. "I'm gonna get dressed, so uh…I'll catch up with you guys later."

With nothing more than a small, shared look, Lotte and Sucy left, promising to see each other when dinnertime came. Akko waved them goodbye with a smile, and when she was alone in her room once more, she began to put on a fresh uniform.

Just beneath her brave face, she was still reeling.

' _What…what kinda dream was that? That felt so…so…real. But Sucy would never just leave like that. And Lotte…what did she mean? Where had any of that come from?_ '

Not to mention, what kind of dream left someone feeling as tired as she did? She didn't feel like she just woke up. She felt like she had been awake this entire time, running around for her life. Her heartrate had barely slowed since.

She took a big deep breath in, and slowly let out in a long sigh. There was no reason for her to be this out of breath. She was sure she'd feel better once she got out of this stuffy room. Maybe take a walk somewhere.

Just before she was about to exchange her shirt for a new one, she felt something wet trickle down her arm. There was nothing of any note on her sleeve, so she pulled it down to inspect the bare skin. And she was greeted with a dark red cut, running down the inside of her forearm.

Exactly, she realized, where it had been back in the dream.

* * *

Diana had noted that dinner had been a rather quiet affair. Before, only truly a year ago when she thought about it, she used to eat every meal largely in solitude. Hannah and Barbara would eat with her, but back then, Diana tended to enjoy her isolation.

But her life had taken a marked change since then, perhaps more than she liked to quantify all at once, and the Red, Blue, and Green Teams now always ate together as one big group. It was loud, very personal, full of people talking over one another, and Diana had to admit it was one of the changes she enjoyed the most.

Today, however, had not been like that at all. Barbara and Jasminka were studying for their finals, Sucy and Constanze had already quietly eaten and left, and Akko, who normally spent every meal they all had together talking about everything and nothing all at once, had barely spoken two words to anyone the entire day.

She'd twirl her fork in her mash potatoes once or twice, but never actually moved to take a bite. Her expression was hard to read, especially for someone who typically wore her heart on her sleeve. She seemed preoccupied with a small scratch on her arm, tracing it with her finger over and over.

It hardly looked bad, but Diana felt compelled to ask where she got it, if only for the sake of getting Akko to speak up.

"I dunno." Akko shrugged in response. "Maybe I just scratched myself on my bedframe or something. That happens, right?"

Amanda shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. You leave something sharp in your bedsheets or something?"

"I…" Akko squinted at the scratch. "…don't think so? I didn't _see_ anything."

She went quiet after that, and once again, Amanda was the only one talking. They were discussing some O'Neil family drama that Diana had no context for, and truth be told, a year ago she doubted Hannah would've been interested in it either.

But then, Hannah was hanging on every word nonetheless. She seemed wont to do that with Amanda's problems lately.

"So like…" Hannah started, twirling the end of her ponytail around her finger. "…does that mean you're spending summer vacation _here_ again, Amanda? Because I mean, I was planning some stuff to do and I think it'd be nice if you came with me…" Before Amanda could respond, Hannah quickly added. "A-and Barbara! Barb too."

Amanda shrugged. "Eh, I got nothing planned. I like hanging out here with you guys anyway."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Diana smiled at the exchange. Hannah seemed to be spending quite a bit of time away from the room as of late. But still, as Hannah fumbled to find an excuse, things went quieter than Diana was used to. Lotte had never been one to initiate a conversation anyways, so Diana wasn't surprised to see her like this.

But Akko once again traced along the wound with her finger, oddly transfixed by it. Perhaps overthinking things again, Diana held out her hand in offering.

"May I see your arm for a moment, Akko?"

"Eh?" Akko's brows went up her forehead. "Wait, you mean like now? Uh…sure. If you wanna…sure."

She reached across the table, and took Diana's outstretched hand in her own. Diana stared down at their interlocked fingers for a moment, neither saying nor doing anything.

Akko decided to give her hand a gentle squeeze, and when she brushed her thumb across the inside of Diana's palm, Diana finally looked up with a somewhat flat expression.

"…The, ah, other way, Akko." She explained. "So I can see your arm."

"Oh!" Akko flushed. "Y-yeah, I knew that."

Akko flipped her hand around with a small cough. The scratch on her arm looked to be nothing more than a flesh wound that would clear up in a day or so. Nonetheless, Diana leaned in closer and pulled out her wand.

Only for Akko to suddenly snatch her arm back, hugging it close to her chest.

"Whoa! Hang on, what are you doing?"

"I was just going to do a quick healing spell. It seemed like it was bothering you."

"No!" Akko said quickly. "No, no. It's fine. Don't worry about it. It's cool of you to worry, but I mean…well, I dunno. It's not…yeah."

Diana did her best to hide her confusion. "…My mistake then? I didn't mean to assume."

Akko pulled her sleeve back down and buttoned the cuff up tight. She bit her lower lip, and pushed herself up from the table.

"…Listen I gotta…check on something real quick. I'll see ya guys later."

And without another word, or even a goodbye, Akko fled from the cafeteria, still fiddling with the button on her cufflink. And the suddenness of it had managed to catch even Hannah and Amanda off guard.

Diana couldn't imagine what she had done to cause a reaction like that. And Akko was usually so quick to bounce back from her troubles. Between this, and how sullen she seemed in detention last night, it was hard for Diana not to worry.

She turned to the rest of the table. "You've all noticed how restless she seems today, right? Is she okay?"

Lotte shrugged helplessly. "She's been acting like this all morning. I tried asking her what was wrong, but she just clams up and says it's just because she's tired."

"I don't suppose she would confide in Sucy?"

Amanda leaned back in her chair, folding her hands behind her head. "I honestly don't think Suce would care."

"I think she might still be upset about missing her flight home." Lotte said. "She seemed really sure she could pass the flight test before, and I think she's been feeling a little homesick lately, too."

It was hard for Diana to relate to that given, as a certain someone proved, her own home was well within hitchhiking distance of school.

"I'm sure she's fine, Diana." Hannah waved her hand. "She'll get over it, she always does."

Amanda nodded. "Yeah, probably just wiggin' out about her exams. Remember how she acted last year, when she flushed Pisces down the drain?"

Lotte scratched the side of her neck. "I'm…not sure bringing that up around her right now is a good idea. But I _do_ wish there was something we could do to help her feel a bit better."

Diana turned back to the door, and poured over her thoughts. She _had_ been mulling over an idea, back when Akko had planned to go back to Japan. It wasn't something Diana normally went for, and she was surprised the thought had even crossed her mind, but at the same time…

"Well…" Diana turned back to the table. "The other day I was thinking it would be nice to do something special for her birthday."

"Like what?" Lotte asked.

"Perhaps…a surprise party of some sort."

"Oh!" Lotte clasped her hands together in delight. "I bet Akko would love that!"

Hannah's brows furrowed. "Wait, _you_ did? I thought you didn't even like parties. You didn't even want us to celebrate _your_ birthday this year."

"That's true…" Diana admitted. "But Akko still tried to celebrate it anyway, so it's only right to return the favor. And besides, I'm sure it would help take her mind off her homesickness."

"Did you have something in mind, Diana?" Lotte asked, already getting into the spirit of things.

"I have an idea or two, but perhaps we should get everyone together first so we can properly plan this out. Besides, I believe the more people we can convince to attend, the better Akko will feel."

"Prim and proper Cavendish planning a big old surprise party…" Amanda mused. "Never thought I'd see the day."

Hannah awkwardly scratched the side of her cheek. "Eh, I'm not sure I have much reason to go. I'm more friends with _you_ guys than I am with Akko. It'd just be weird."

"You can count me in, though." Amanda jerked her thumb to her chest. "I _do_ love a good party, and someone's gotta keep this from being boring."

"Y-you know what, I change my mind. I'll go too." Hannah quickly corrected herself, earning a small smile from Amanda.

Lotte nodded enthusiastically. "I'll go get Sucy and the others!"

Hannah and Amanda both saw fit to give her a knowing look. Perhaps Akko really was rubbing off on her more than she realized. But considering where her life was, and not importantly, who got it here, she had too much gratefulness to have room for being abashed.

And either way, she was a Cavendish and she had made up her mind. She was going to give Akko the happiest birthday she ever had.

* * *

 _A.N. Thanks for the lovely response, guys! I'm so glad so many of you enjoyed the first chapter! And I hope you enjoy the directions this story takes! Anyhoo, not every chapter is going to be split between the real world and the...other one? For one example..._

 _Next time! "Long Arm of Murphy's Law" Akko's searching for answers, and she's not about to take this lying down. After all, who knows more about her own memories than her?_

 _...right?_


	3. Long Arm of Murphy's Law

Akko hadn't actually had anywhere in mind she wanted to go to when she left the cafeteria, so she just ended up taking a walk outside, hoping to clear her head. And before long, she found herself sitting in the shade of the tower on the edge of campus.

It was getting late into the evening, and rarely anyone but the workers came here these days, still renovating the tower's interior back to how things were before Croix's renovations. A few people were out in the field, and as Akko couldn't help but note, Verde was nailing the flight test. But for the most part, everyone was either in the courtyard or inside.

Which, at the moment, kind of worked for Akko. She knew the…whatever it was had shaken her last night, but she hadn't realized how much until even Diana had noticed. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell them about it, but she still wasn't even sure what _it_ was. And between that and the awkward, sideways looks everyone gave her when she snatched her arm back from Diana, she simply wigged out.

But she wasn't dumb. And if nothing else she was experienced enough in her life taking a rapid spin down the drain to realize something was up.

A weirdly vivid dream, the spontaneous spin into nightmare, getting cut in the exact same place in the real world, none of that was normal. The other thing she decided she needed to be alone to do was retrace her steps, and see if she could figure out what it all meant.

Things had been pretty quiet as of late. Her exams weren't nearly as stressful as they had been last year, when she was at serious risk of being expelled. Everyone else was too focused on their own for any real trouble to start. And Akko had spent the first week and a half of June simply looking forward to getting home.

There were only two things that really stuck out to her. First, she had more or less botched her pharmacology exam. Her teeth whitening potion hadn't exactly turned out right. And the second was the golden mirror in the lockup from last night.

As mad as Lukić had been about what happened to her dental fillings, Akko was reasonably certain she had nothing to do with this. Even if Lukić was the type to curse her students, she'd probably be more direct about it. So the mirror was the only other notable thing she could think of.

' _Maybe I should've told Badcock about that…but she said none of those magic mirrors even worked anymore.'_ Akko leaned back against the wall of the tower. ' _And besides, I was already stuck there for like 3 hours.'_

Akko pushed herself to her feet. Either way, she needed to figure out what was going on, and this time she was going to head it off _before_ it got totally out of her control. And the first step to stopping this problem before it became a problem was finding her way back to the mirror.

Feeling clearer now than she had at dinner, Akko began to make her way back to the main building to try and think of something, or better yet, someone. Just as she was crossing the field, she was stopped by someone happily calling out her name.

Ursula beamed ear to ear, her arms full of heavy looking boxes. "Akko! I was hoping I could catch you this evening! What's got you running around tonight?"

"You were looking for me?"

"I was." Ursula set down her supplies. "I wanted to give you this." With another proud, almost motherly grin, Ursula handed her a small birthday card.

Printed on it was, " _To a Very Special Witch; Hope you have the most magical birthday!"_ Handwritten below that in pen, was another message. " _Congratulations on another great year, Akko! Keep on showing everyone what you can do! A believing heart is your magic! With love, Ursula_."

And just below that in a different pen, as if only realizing afterwards it was something she would like, Ursula had added on Shiny Chariot's signature.

And yes, it was definitely something she liked. Professor or not, something inside her still soared at having something signed by her childhood hero.

"Ursula…!" Akko breathed in awe. "…But my birthday's not till the 25th."

"I know." Ursula nodded. "But actually, I'm using my sick days to take some time away from school. I've been meaning to visit an old friend of mine, so I'll be out of town that day. I didn't want you to think I'd forget your special day."

Akko tried to ignore the stab of jealousy.

"Oh, but there's one more thing I want to give you Akko!" She said, handing Akko a small bag of treats. Akko cocked her head as she read the label.

"Mystery candy?"

"Even better. _Premium_ mystery candy! This is guaranteed to always taste like your favorite flavors. I know it's not much, but I wanted to make sure I gave you _something_ before I left. I'll try to bring you something more special when I get back."

Akko's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"It's not every day someone turns 17, and you've grown so much this past year. You should be very proud of yourself. I remember when you first came here, and you were always getting into trouble. But even through every disaster, you came into your own. Next year, I probably won't even have anything left to mentor you on!"

Never before could she remember such sweet words having such biting irony.

Akko rubbed the back of her head and forced herself to laugh. "Ha! Yeah, I…used to always get in trouble…H-hey, are you doing anything right now, Professor Ursula?"

"Am _I_ doing anything?" Ursula repeated. "Well, I have quite a stack of astronomy papers left to correct! I've just been so distracted with packing and…w-well, I just haven't even touched them. Anne, er, Professor Finnelan asked me to help her with something in the Teacher's House, so I was just on my way to do that and…s-sorry! It seems I'm rambling. Why do you ask?"

"It's…" Akko bit her lip. "It's nothing. I was just curious, that's all."

"I see." Ursula bent down to pick up her boxes once more. "Well, happy early birthday, Akko! I hope you enjoy your candy!"

Akko silently waved her goodbye. Now that they thought about it, even if she wasn't already too busy, Ursula would have to file a report if she helped her, and that would mean it was on record, and the other professors would end up reading it, and all of this would more likely than not end with Badcock making her clean every single mirror again, except this time while hovering over her shoulder barking orders.

Every passing day she realized those workers she striked with were more and more right; Bureaucracy was a load of bunk. But she still ought to tell someone about what was happening.

And besides, the lockup was, most likely, locked up. She needed someone who could get her in. And she definitely knew someone who fit that description. Knew her intimately in fact. Slightly more encouraged now, Akko made her way back inside.

* * *

She cornered Diana just as she was walking towards her room.

"Diana!"

"Akko!" Diana clutched the notebook to her chest in surprise, and then blushed at having been caught surprised. "H-hello. You startled me."

"Whatcha got there?"

"Oh, this?" Diana smiled as she shut the notebook closed. "Nothing terribly interesting. Just a small project, tangentially related to some upcoming exams."

"I thought you were done with your exams."

" _Vera Gurasare._ " With a quick incantation, not even needing to use her wand, Diana teleported the notebook out of sight. "I am. It's for a friend. In any case, you seem to be in better spirits."

Akko bit her lip, the reminder just making her feel awkward more than anything else. "Right, right…um, sorry about earlier, in the cafeteria."

"Sorry?"

"Yeah, I mean, because I sorta freaked out with the thing with that scratch on my arm. I didn't mean to just…run off. Like it's no big deal or anything. It's just kind of a long story, right? And I was just…I dunno how to say it, kinda felt-"

Diana held up her hand. "You don't need to explain anything to me, Akko. I certainly understand the need for personal space. Do you feel any better now, that you had some time to think?"

Akko shrugged. "Yeah, I…guess."

"Then there's nothing you need to apologize for." Diana said. "I won't deny you had me worried, but seeing you here is all I need. Nothing makes me happier than seeing you smile again."

Akko must've made a face, (because she certainly hadn't been expecting _that_ ) as Diana's own quickly began to color and flush. Diana quickly averted her eyes.

"That…" She coughed into her fist. "…came out stronger than I intended it to. I apologize."

And despite herself, Akko was already feeling a bit better about today and yesterday. She was afraid things would've been awkward, even if it was just Diana fretting, but in cases like these, she welcomed being wrong. With every successive shade Diana's face took, her mood grew and grew.

"So did you really mean that, then?" Akko asked coyly.

"I…did." Diana admitted. "But while I meant the sentiment behind it, I don't believe I meant to phrase it as intensely as I have."

"Why not?"

"Why not? Well, I mean…i-it merely slipped out. And I do not believe the public hallway is the correct forum to have this type of discussion, especially one that came on so spontaneously. Came _out_ , spontaneously, I mean. N-no, no, what I mean is, this was not where I intended the conversation to go when it began."

"But you meant it? You're not taking it back now?"

" _Yes_ , I do not disagree with the sentiment behind my words, I'm merely dissatisfied with the manner in which the sentiment was conveyed."

Akko playfully rocked on her heels. "You're getting awfully formal all of a sudden."

"I'm always formal! Proper diction is…is essential so people know what you're trying to say."

"What _are_ you trying to say?"

"Akko…" Diana whined. Her whole face was a lovely pink color. Akko personally thought it suited her. "You know exactly what I'm attempting to say."

"Do I?"

" _Evidently._ "

Akko took a step closer. "Tell me what it is? It's fun when you say it."

"I…" Diana swallowed, clearly trying not to look tense. "…what do you mean fun? Please tell me you didn't come all this way just to mock me."

And before she could say another word, Barbara threw open the door to the Blue Team's room. Diana almost instantly stepped away, deliberately holding her head at an angle that hid her face.

"There you are, Diana! Did you-?"

Barbara took one look at who Diana was talking to, and her eyes near bugged out of her head. With a forced casualness, she leaned against the doorframe and smiled.

"Akko!" She waved. It looked awkward with her hunched shoulders. "Hhhhhhi."

"…hey?"

Akko glanced over her shoulder into the suite, and to her surprise, the entire group was there. Amanda and Hannah were lounging on the couch Lotte, and Constanze and Jasminka were sitting at the table opposite of Sucy.

Akko also noticed Barbara did not move out of the doorframe to let her in. "What are you guys all in _here_ for?"

Diana loudly cleared her throat, and straightened out her hair. Once she was acceptably composed, she gave a light shrug. "Ah, yes. That. As I'm sure you are aware, the book club Barbara and Lotte are in are having their final meeting until autumn begins. It was decided they would have a small social to celebrate, take off some of the stresses of exams."

"I didn't know that." Akko said, wondering if Lotte had mentioned it while she had been preoccupied back at dinner.

"Oh hey, Diana, that reminds me…" From inside, Sucy raised her hand. "Can I handle th-"

"No Sucy, you cannot handle the drinks." Diana didn't even look over her shoulder. "In any case, my hands are…a bit full right now, Akko. I already have a few obligations on top of this, so I'm afraid right now may not be a good time."

"Do you want any help?"

Diana shook her head. "Ah, no, no, no. That's fine. Thank you for the offer, but we're rather overstaffed as it is. You know what they say about too many cooks in the kitchen. Perhaps we can get you involved in a later stage, I think you'll enjoy that more."

"Are you sure? Because actually, the reason I came over here was-"

Diana slipped into the room past Barbara, who still did not move. "Any other time I would happily welcome your input but I'm afraid it simply doesn't work in this case." She explained. "And no, Sucy. You cannot handle the food either."

Sucy put down her hand with a bitter grumble.

Barbara cleared her throat. "What Diana is trying to say is…thanks for dropping by but we _really_ want to get to work on this like right now and we're kinda busy so sorry and have a good night _bye!_ "

And with that, the door was shut in Akko's face, leaving her alone in the hall. She pressed her ear to the door, to at least try and hear what she was being cut out from.

"And we know you're eavesdropping, Akko!" Barbara called out. "Go…go do something!"

Her face dropped as they all started whispering to each other. And it sunk even more when she realized that with Diana and everyone else apparently having fun without her, she was out of people to ask to help her get into the lockup. She probably should've led with that. She was out of options.

…No.

She wouldn't just accept that. If she couldn't get someone to help, then so be it. She could do things just _fine_ on her own.

"Alright then…Looks like I'm jellyfishing this."

* * *

The door to the storage lockup in the basement of Luna Nova was sealed tight. With magical locks on top of heavy steel locks, it was effective at keeping most students away from potentially dangerous magical artifacts.

Though, they did not account for _every_ situation. Some things simply came across as too outlandish. And at 9:04 pm, a moist, gelatinous mass pushed through the keyhole itself. The jellyfish wriggled and writhed, squishing its way through like dough being pressed through a mold.

Once she got her whole body through the keyhole, the jellyfish meagerly fell to the ground with a wet sound that was best described as a "schlorp". The jellyfish took a moment to get her bearings from the impact, before she summoned up her magic, and in a puff of smoke, Atsuko Kagari was lying face down on the floor.

In her moment of victory, Akko rubbed her head and grumbled, "Ow."

The room had been untouched since the other night, as it was meant to be for the duration of the summer, so she hoped it wouldn't take too long to find the mirror. She motioned to unstrap her wand from her belt to cast some sort of illumination spell, only to notice a green light already shining forth in the room.

It was faint, dim enough to be easily overlooked in the daylight, but when the room was pitch black otherwise, it might as well have been a signal light.

And despite half-hoping she was wrong about this, she approached the source, and sure enough, it was emanating from the golden mirror she had played with last night. She studied her own reflection, squinting against the light, and gingerly pressed a finger to the reflective surface.

The reaction was immediate. In a burst of crackling energy, her hand was convulsed away. The light surged for the briefest second, and when Akko shook the pain away from her hand, she saw the very same conversation she had with Diana just a few hours ago projected in the frame.

Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, her stomach dropped, seeing her own life play out indifferently in front of her very eyes. Even if this was from her own mind, it felt like someone had been watching her, recording her every move. And Akko reacted the only way she could think to do.

She kicked the frame. It was heavy enough that it barely shifted.

"What's your problem?! You already got me scratched, now you're zapping me? I gave you a bath, you jerk! If someone gave _me_ a bath, I'd be grateful!"

The mirror did not respond in any notable way, aside from continuing to play back her conversation.

Akko took a breath. "…well actually, they'd probably have to be cut…But _I'm_ cute! Some people think so at least! So you should be grateful!"

When her talk with Diana finished and Barbara shut the door on her, her reflection took its normal place back on the glass, and everything was back to how it had been before Akko had touched anything.

Which left Akko with only one problem. She worked so hard to get in here, she didn't consider what she was going to do if she succeeded.

She could smash it, but then if it could get into her head at night, she wasn't sure breaking it was a good idea. If this thing housed a spirit, like Diana said some of them might have, she could try communicating with it. But she wasn't sure she knew how to do that spell without a potion yet, and she didn't want to experiment with anything that could break the mirror and/or potentially her.

But then, with the thought of talking to it, another idea struck her.

Lotte had been acting normal in her dream up to a certain point, then she somehow knew things she shouldn't have. Said something about getting there too late. What that meant, she didn't know, but she did know what else she had said before she disappeared out of nowhere.

' _The next night…'_ Akko steeled her gaze on her reflection. ' _That's what that fake Lotte said. Then that means…tonight._ '

* * *

It certainly took Akko a while to clear her mind enough to sleep. Lotte and Sucy had both been pretty surprised to see how early she was turning in, and Akko spent the better part of the night simply tossing and turning to no avail.

When she did fall asleep, she was almost immediately snapped…awake. (And that still felt like the wrong word to use.) Half expecting things to pick up right where they left off, Akko was both surprised and relieved to find herself _not_ entangled in the Arcturus Forest, but instead, quietly sitting in a fancy dining room.

It took her a moment to place herself, (because admittedly the two times she was previously in this room, her eyes had been looking…elsewhere), but she certainly hadn't forgotten what the dining room of Cavendish Manor looked like.

Andrew and his father were getting situated on their side of the table, alongside Maril and Merrill. And next to Akko, Anna pushed Diana's seat into its proper place at the table, the blonde girl folding her hands in her lap.

Despite everything, Akko still blinked at seeing them both here, in their fancy dinner-wear.

"Andrew? Diana? What are you guys doing here?"

Diana merely glanced up at her, unimpressed. Before she could even bother to say anything back, another older, harsher voice answered in her stead, punctuating her words with the sharp clacks of heels striding across the floor.

"I believe the better question is, what are _you_ doing here?"

Composed, confident and cold, Daryl looked as displeased to see her as Akko remembered. Daryl hadn't exactly softened since the first Jupiter Eclipse, but she had at least decided to let her and Diana be after the latter had saved her from becoming a tree. Which placed where she was now a few hours neatly before that.

Daryl looked down her nose with narrowed eyes. "Surely you haven't forgotten that you invited yourself to this little gathering of ours. I've certainly never welcomed you into this home, and I highly doubt Diana has either, despite her claims of you being her…guest."

"Oh." Akko's expression flattened. "It's you, Daryl."

Daryl was quiet for a moment, before the corner of her lip slowly snuck its way up her cheek. "So it can remember names. Why, I'm so impressed, I'll even ignore your tone."

Diana groaned, glaring at her out of the side of her eye. "Akko, _please_ don't start a scene here."

"Hey, I'm not the mean one here!" Akko defended herself. "And you don't even know about the actually mean things she's gonna do yet!"

"Just…for once, kindly try to sit and be respectful. I'd like to get this over with as painlessly as possible, and you are not helping in any way."

Akko's heart clenched. Diana could get annoyed with her from time to time, but to have her glaring at her…

She tried to shake it off, or at least not hold it against her. Diana and her weren't friends at this point. In fact, until this night, and their talk at the _Last Wednesday Society_ , she was almost sure Diana out and out disliked her. She just needed time.

"…Yeah, well don't blame me when she starts doing her crazy stuff with her snakes!" Akko ran a hand through her hair. "Andrew, help me out here!"

Andrew arched a single brow. "No one has any idea what you're talking about, Miss Kagari. And I would have to recommend taking your seat as well."

Akko did her best not to growl. Diana always seemed so bitter and mournful about how heartless Daryl had acted this night. Not to mention what had almost happened to Akko within Diana's own home. Real or not, Akko still wanted to try to make things better for Diana if she could.

And besides that, even she herself wasn't personally upset about how Daryl had treated her back then, forgiveness was not the same as wanting to go through being poisoned and almost eaten by a snake again.

"Man, I know you guys don't remember it, but you could at least be _nicer_ about it! Like you are now! Or are later! W-will be later, or whatever it is!"

Daryl scoffed. "You really don't pay attention to a word anyone says to you, do you? It's utterly beyond me how such an almost impressive lists of accomplishments is attributed to someone so incompetent. Still relying on Diana, and on everyone _else_ in your silly little circle of friends, to fight your battles for you. Is this how Luna Nova teaches you witches to act these days?"

"They don't fight my battles for m-!" She turned to Daryl with a start. "…Wait. That's what Lotte…are _you_ the thing in the mirror?"

Daryl responded with an indifferent hum, and signaled Anna to fill her glass with wine. "Why don't we all sit down and eat then, since you insist on staying here, Miss Kagari?" She said, gesturing to the empty seat directly across from her. "I'm sure we have _plenty_ to discuss."

* * *

 _A.N. Next time, "Great Battle of Sense and Sensibilities" I'd say Akko enjoys a nice meal, but well, she really doesn't. Having gotten this far though, Akko gears up for a recollection rumble. An unforgettable conflict, a struggle to remember, a…third…pun._

 _Well, if you know the episode titles, you might guess where it's going. That's all I say._ _Oh, I should maybe also mention there could be potential spoilers for Chamber of Time. Not in the next chapter, but coming up, so be warned if you're not done yet._


	4. Great Battle of Sense and Sensibilities

Somehow this dinner felt even more awkward than it had the first time.

Everything else was the same as she remembered. She might as well have time traveled, if not for the fact that just as it had been in Arcturus, everything felt the slightest bit off.

Despite Daryl's claims of having something to discuss, she didn't seem to be very talkative. She quietly ate dinner, meeting Akko's skeptical gaze with an almost bored glare.

Was it even really Daryl? She acted like her. Conducted herself high and superior like her. Looked at Akko with crinkled features and unmasked contempt, just as she had the first dinner. But there was something else in that, something corrupted that hadn't been there the first time.

Just like how Lotte had been. Still a little soft-spoken, introverted, but as though her personality had been twisted. Akko only had her memories to go off to know what to expect from Daryl, and if whatever happened to Lotte happened to Daryl, Akko wasn't sure she could afford to take her eyes off her.

Daryl took a sip of wine, and frowned. "I was expecting poor table manners, but I didn't think you'd just waste the food in front of you. You may as well try it, a witch of…your background won't get many chances to have a meal like this."

"I'm not feeling hungry." Akko looked at the leathery steak in front of her, and under her breath, she added, "Besides, I remember how well done this was."

Diana cut into her steak and took a bite, still scowling at this entire affair. "If you insist on staying, then just eat, Akko."

"You don't find any of this weird?"

She crossed her arms. Diana pursed her lips in annoyance.

"What I find 'weird' is that you barge in here, make ridiculous demands about me returning to Luna Nova, and then proceed to cause a fuss at every given opportunity. There's too much at stake for me to deal with _you_ right now."

"I…" Akko winced. "I'm not even doing anything here."

"Just eat."

Diana turned back to her plate without another look, and any argument Akko might've had died in her throat. Her eyes flicked to Andrew, but he had nothing to say to her defense. If he was even paying attention, he gave no indication.

She tried to ignore the heavy pit in her stomach. Andrew always had a sharp tongue about him, but he had a kind heart. She felt _proud_ that he was willing and eager to learn more about witch culture, and for all their differences, he was probably her best friend outside of Luna Nova. Being ignored like this stung, regardless of how or why.

But Diana…

Diana was someone she cared about more than anyone else. They had been through so much together, and had spent more time than Akko could ever count side by side. She had revealed a softer, kinder side Akko never would've imagined. She loved that side of her.

Maybe this _was_ a dream, maybe this was some strange vision or a corrupted memory. The logic of it didn't matter. Having Diana give her the cold shoulder again, seeing her once bright blue eyes cold with indifference…any affection she had simply gone from her expression…

Akko couldn't dwell on it. She shook the thoughts from her head and focused everywhere else. She took a breath, and leveled herself with the older woman across from her.

"What is this about then, Daryl?"

"It's nothing that concerns you." Daryl said, before turning to regard Andrew's father. "But I hope you and your son will stick around. We have some _lovely_ things to show you after dinner, and we-!"

"Not the auction." Akko cut her off. "That already happened for real. I mean what is _this_ about? Why am I back here? Like if you're trying to teach me a lesson here, can we just skip to it? I'm tired, and I wanna go to bed _without_ getting dropped in some crazy memory trip."

An incredulous laugh escaped Daryl's lips. "What in the world do you think you're talking about? I have no idea why you would presume _any_ of this dinner was made for your benefit, because I can assure you it most certainly wasn't."

Paul Hanbridge let out a weary sigh. "Need I remind you we picked you up off the side of the road? I don't believe this dinner party is about you."

"No, that's not what I'm-!" Akko shook her head, and turned her attention back to Daryl. "Wait, no! Don't try to distract me. You're in _my_ memories, and I just wanna know why you're in here."

Daryl's face was distinctly neutral. "What am _I_ doing in it? This is my home. I am the rightful head of the Cavendish Manor."

"Stop trying to confuse me, okay?" Akko slammed her fists down on the table. "Just… _please_ , what do you even want? You said you had something to discuss, but you won't even tell me what it is."

Paul rubbed at the corner of his eyes. "For crying out loud…is it any wonder why the rest of the world finds magic so useless when all witches seem to do is fight amongst themselves?"

"Don't start with that again!" Akko snapped. "Magic isn't useless! Just wait a few months, okay?! And then you, and Andrew, and everyone else is gonna see how wonderful magic is!"

Andrew didn't even bother to glance up from his plate. "If you're planning something, kindly leave me out of it, Miss Kagari. I have a very busy schedule for the next few months."

"I…I'm not planning anything! And I thought you _liked_ magic, Andrew!"

Andrew glanced towards his father and shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "I have yet to see a very practical use for it to change my opinion."

"L-look! To me, magic is the most wonderful thing in the world, and in-!"

"There you go again, making all this about you." Paul said. "Don't you have any tact at all?"

"I'm _not_ making it about me!" Akko cried. "I…I _know_ you don't remember it, but if you'll just listen to me, I can-!"

"Proper young witches," Daryl said, "Should not speak if they have nothing to say but to spew nonsense. I don't think anyone knows what it is you want, so why don't you spare us all the trouble and hold your tongue for a while."

Akko felt her face growing hot. "You're not listening! All I _want_ is for _you_ to tell me what all of this is so I can just get out of here!"

From out of nowhere, Diana harshly clinked her utensils down and whipped to face her.

"Would you make up your mind, Akko? First you insist on following me all the way here from Luna Nova, and now you're complaining that you want to leave. Which is it?"

Akko shrunk back. "…Diana…?"

Diana closed the gap between them, glaring daggers straight through her. "I have no interest in returning to Luna Nova, especially with _you_. None of this has anything to do with _you_. I never asked for you to come, and I certainly never asked for you to interfere with my life on a constant basis. If you really wish to help me out, then kindly stop throwing a tantrum like a pouty child and… _Sit. Down._ "

Something pricked the corner of Akko's eyes. Even at her worst, even for all their arguments, Akko had _never_ heard Diana use such unfiltered disdain. She wasn't speaking to her like a troublemaker or a nuisance. She was talking down to her with hate and scorn.

Akko bit her lower lip, clenched her fists, and snapped to face Daryl.

"Diana would never say that!"

Diana rolled her eyes. "And who are you to presume what I can and cannot say? I can't imagine you know how I would speak, given you haven't listened to a word I've said this entire time."

"I…" Akko shook her head, failing to keep her voice level. "S-shut up! You're not even real! I know Diana! The _real_ Diana, even when she…she was mean, she would _never_ act like this! She wouldn't say that!"

Daryl turned to the Hanbridges, and nodded politely. "Why, I'm terribly sorry for my niece's guest. I couldn't imagine what's gotten into her all of a sudden."

Paul just grunted, unimpressed with the apology. Andrew returned the nod, and then glared at Akko.

"I must say, Miss Kagari. If you're trying to prove us wrong here, about how useful and wonderful magic is, you're not making a very good case for yourself."

"It's not useless!" She felt her knees shaking. "I _proved_ it wasn't!"

Daryl smiled behind her glass. "You did? Or did Diana do it for you? Would you even be here if it wasn't for Lotte and Sucy carrying you, fixing your mistakes? You'd have been expelled."

"I…" Akko sputtered. "N-no! I wouldn't have! You don't-!"

"Does she ever come off it?" Paul asked Diana. "This entire evening hasn't been worth the gas used to drive here. I hope she doesn't represent you."

"Just attempt to tune her out." Diana shrugged. "I'm sure she'll get bored eventually."

"Stop it!" Akko's stomach clenched. "Stop doing this! Just shut up!"

Andrew frowned at her. "You're the one who's shouting here."

"B-because…you're not letting me-!"

But the three of them just kept talking over her, not caring the slightest bit what she had to say. Akko couldn't even keep up with all. Every insult, every scowl, every glare they sent her way, it was coming so fast. Everywhere she looked, she saw nothing but contempt and mockery from people who she thought, she _knew_ cared about her.

She covered her ears with her hands, desperate for just a second of relief.

"S-shut up!" Her legs felt like jelly. "If you're trying to scare me, it's not working!"

"You really don't have any sense about you, do you?" Daryl chuckled.

"Just shut up!"

"You might be one of the most obnoxious girls I have ever met. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

"Shut up!"

"You would think someone chosen by the Shiny Rod would have a bit more…self-control, wouldn't you?"

That was all it took for Akko to kick her chair over.

" _You wanna see a Shiny Rod?!_ " She screamed." _I'll show you a Shiny Rod!_ "

And in a wave, the room seemed to erupt. Reality itself rippled like a stone cast in water.

She pointed her fist towards Daryl, and there was no longer anything else but the two of them. Her face was hot with frustration, and her mind pushed out everything that No dinner, no guests, no manor.

This was _her_ mind. _Her_ memories. Maybe someone could come in and drop her in the wrong place at the wrong time, but no one could take them from her. And what that meant?

This was _her_ reality. She was in control.

A glittering star appeared just before her hand. And then another, and another, until all seven of the lights had gathered in their constellation. Bathed in their sacred light, the Shiny Rod slowly started to take form and become solid.

But before it had the chance, Daryl slammed her fists down on the table, staring her down through narrowed eyes, and the lights were snuffed out in an instant.

Daryl's voice was strained in effort. "You truly don't listen to a word, do you? You need to learn some _respect._ "

Akko could almost feel it. She could almost feel the Shiny Rod's power, could almost reach forth and grab it from her memories. But it was just beyond her reach, as though someone was dangling a carrot in front of her. Mocking her.

And she was sick of it. She was _sick_ of being mocked. She was sick of everything going wrong all the time no matter what she did.

She wasn't going to take any more it tonight. Not from Daryl, not from anyone. If she couldn't get her Shiny Rod back, then she'd call up another memory. Something bigger.

The floor opened up beneath her, and she let herself be swallowed by her emotions. Hundreds of tons of steel and metal built itself around her as she sunk into the memory, taking shape, elevating her higher and higher.

Daryl just sneered. "Alright then. If _that's_ your plan, then I'll play along." She took a step backwards, and her body broke down into distinctive red cubes.

Two giant metal feet slammed into the Wild Hunt's field. Akko stood by in the cockpit as the machine's limbs extended and its transformation neared its end. She looked over her shoulder, unsurprised to see Constanze still at the same helm, giving her the same thumbs up she remembered.

The robot raised its head high into the night sky. Burning soul was converted into magic power, and seven shining stars announced their presence. And with a righteous, judicial fury, the machine pointed forwards as Akko belted over the loudspeaker.

"You wanna see something impressive then?! I don't care if you're a ghost or a spirit or whatever! Come out and face _this!_ Magical Knight, Grand Charion!"

Opposite of her, amidst the chaos of all the Wild Hunt attendants evacuating, the luminescent red cubes shined forebodingly in the sky as they combined, building on top of one another, forming the same top heavy birdlike monster she and Constanze had faced down last time.

Only now, Akko didn't bother to remember there being a magical shortage. And she didn't bother to remember playing nice.

With a speed perhaps unimaginable in the real world for a machine so large, Grand Charion lunged forward, and unleashed a vicious right hook right into the creature's beak before it even got the chance to react.

The punch's momentum carried the monster's head downwards, just as Grand Charion raising its spiked knee into its chin launched it upwards. And finally, Grand Charion charged elbow first right into the creature's massive chest.

The monster barely even had time to let out a cry. Akko supposed it must really hurt when no one gave the chance to listen.

Inside, Constanze seemed to be shocked at the speed and power her own creation was capable of handling. But Akko quickly snapped her from her daze.

"Don't let up, Constanze!" Akko said, taking hold of her own controls. "We're going to show this stupid thing who's in charge!"

The creature brandished its claws and swung towards the Grand Charion's head, only for its arm to be swatted aside. Off balance again, the creature could do nothing as Grand Charion's fist slammed into its torso.

"How's _this_ for useless?!" She called out over the speaker.

The creature made a successful swipe at the magical knight's legs, and it wasted no time as the robot stumbled, leaping to grab on to whatever handhold it could find across its massive metal back.

Only for the Grand Charion to catch it in midair, and without hesitation, ram its head into the ground in a burst of dirt in debris.

The creature's arms threatened to give out as it tried to push itself upwards. So many of the cubes that made up its body had been broken. But it was a creature possessed, and as it took to its feet, digging its claws into the ground, it let out a mighty roar.

Within the cockpit, Akko glared.

"Where's your insults now!?"

The Grand Charion let loose a haymaker right into the creature's vulnerable side.

"Well, guess what?!"

Its other arm let loose an identical one to its other side.

"This isn't my first curse!"

The Grand Charion followed up with a swift uppercut. Red cubes spewed from the creature's beak.

"And this isn't the first time I've been stuck inside someone's mind either!"

A steel fist rushed into the creature's stomach. One after another, the punches flew, with no sign of letting up. Akko's knuckles grew white around the controls. She was not going to lose. She wasn't even going to give the thing the chance. She wasn't going to deal with any more.

Finally, the magic level gauge beneath Akko's hands began to let out a green glow. She looked over her shoulder to the ship's captain. "Magic power at 120%!" She reported. "Now, Constanze!"

As the monster wobbled on its feet, barely remaining upright, the Grand Charion raised its fist into the air, and from its elbow up, steel compartments shifted and locked together in its new position.

" _Grand Charion, Big Wheel!_ "

The giant drill that now made up the Grand Charion's hand began to turn faster, and faster, becoming nothing but a deadly blur of steel spikes.

" _Miracle Magical Shining Tornado PUNCH!"_

The Grand Charion propelled itself. The creature scarcely had time to raise its hands up as the drill screamed towards its vulnerable body.

Akko allowed herself a victorious smirk. Her mind wasn't perfect, but it was hers. No one was going to mess with it.

Suddenly the Grand Charion lurched. Akko and Constanze were knocked from their feet. Steel creaked and groaned under immense stress. Akko quickly pushed herself upwards and gazed out the cockpit to see the damage.

What she saw was the creature's hands wrapped around the drill, stopping it in place.

Before she could even think about how impossible that was, the creature began to pull. The whine of the steel became metallic screams. The creature dug its feet into the ground, and with a single burst of effort, it yanked itself backwards.

And ripped the arm off entirely.

Alarms blared, and the cockpit of the Grand Charion was drowned in red warning lights. The dashboards began to overload, bursting out into a flurry of sparks and smoke. Akko shielded her face as the monitor violently short circuited.

Constanze struggled to even keep the helm steady, much less counter the damage. Sweat poured down her brow as she fought to keep her machine upright.

Below her, Akko could only watch as the creature tossed aside the drill arm like it was nothing. She couldn't even hear the alarms blaring. The few surviving monitors cried out. Akko stared blankly at the words. " _Critical Damage to the Right Flank_ "

It couldn't go down like this. This wasn't how she imagined it. It _couldn't._

The Grand Charion stumbled backwards, its carefully balanced design compromised by the flaming hole at its side. But despite the black smoke spewing from its right shoulder, it dug its feet into the ground and winded up for a desperate left hook.

The creature easily caught the fist before it could come close to making contact. Whatever energy it had lost from the fight had suddenly returned in full force. With another pull, it ripped the remaining arm right from its elbow socket.

And then the creature leapt, and was on top of the once proud knight entirely. It grabbed onto its chest, its talon feet stabbing into the robot's body. The weight of it was too much too quickly. The left knee joint caved in. The invincible Grand Charion fell backwards as the giant hands clawed at its chassis like wrapping paper.

What few monitors remained within the cockpit gave up on listing the damage. It was too extensive. Instead, they all portrayed the same hopeless message.

" _Abandon Ship_ "

Constanze looked helplessly as the helm let loose a flurry of sparks. There was no way the damage could be ignored. The machine was done for.

But it couldn't be. Akko had summoned it, and she poured every ounce of her willpower into repairing the damage, but all she got in return was the sound of the creature's claws tearing through what remained of their defenseless.

How could this happen?

"No!" Akko cried out to Constanze. "It…It can't win! We can't let this thing beat us! It can't-!"

But before either witch could make another move, the creature stabbed its beak into the creature's head. Sparks became a raging fire in an instant as console after console burst. The entire cabin was engulfed in inky black smoke.

Akko coughed, trying to block as much of the smoke from her mouth with her arm. Her eyes burned, but with the fires raging, there was more important things to worry about.

"Constazne!" She called out. "Contz, where are you?! You gotta-!" She hacked as she inhaled. "W-where are you?! We need to-!"

The cabin lurched again. Akko was thrown from her feet, and as the back of her head smacked into the metal floor, everything went black. Her ears were ringing.

She groaned in pain, trying to will her body to get up. She needed to find her, get her out of here, before it was too late. But right now, she could barely open her eyes.

But when the ringing stopped, she heard the laugh of an elderly man.

"That's pretty funny there, witch!" He cackled. "A minute ago, you were saying this ain't real, but now you're worried about your friend like she _was_ real! You got less of a brain than I do at this point."

The voice…sounded familiar, but Akko couldn't quite place it. With a small moan, she opened her eyes. And standing above her was a reanimated skeleton in formal, colonial dress.

Its sword was in hand, raised high above its head, poised to strike.

Akko rolled to the side just as the blade stabbed down where her body had been.

Her mind spun, desperate to get its bearings on what just happened. She was on top of the bell tower in Blytonbury in the middle of the day. This was early in the year, when Lotte, Sucy and her had accidentally revived Headmistress Holbrooke's father.

But she hadn't imagined going here again. What had happened to Constanze, and the Grand Charion? How could she have been sent here?

The skeleton did not give her any chance to speculate. Once he ripped its blade from the ground, he pointed it straight towards Akko and began swinging. Still dazed from the impact, she was only barely able to dodge the furious swipes.

"Which is it, huh?!" Holbrooke cackled. "Is this real or isn't it? Can't have it both ways!"

"Mr. Holbrooke?!" Akko ducked as the sword cut through the air. "This…this is _nuts!_ You're supposed to be grateful to us for giving you the chance to find the man you were looking for!"

The sword swings didn't stop coming, "Like I would be grateful to the likes of you!" He lashed out. "Taste steel, you miscreant!"

Akko's eyes rapidly scanned the rooftop. The massive bell took up most of the rooftop. There was barely any room to maneuver. They were too many stories high to get anywhere else, and the only other way out, the trapdoor to the stairs, was currently beneath Holbrooke's boot.

Where were Lotte and Sucy? They had been here the first time.

"Mr. Holbrooke!" She called out, struggling to keep her voice even between her own franticness and exhaustion. "You wanted revenge! That guy wronged your daughter! Don't you remember?!"

Mr. Holbrooke just laughed. "What _I_ remember is you saying this wasn't your first curse! What happened to that confidence, eh?"

Akko growled once she realized who she was truly speaking to. "What do you even _want_ from me?! How are you doing this?!"

"How are you letting me is the better question! C'mon! I thought you wanted to fight! You _told_ me to shut up!"

Holbrook, if he was even real to begin with, had no body or muscles to get tired, whereas Akko was already spent, physically and emotionally. The sword swipes were too fast for her. She was running on fumes, and running out of rooftop.

And then her foot hit the ledge. She caught the briefest glance into the alleyway, several stories below. She windmilled her arms, just barely managing to catch her footing before she toppled over.

But when she looked back, Holbrooke's skeletal remains were right in front of her, raising his left leg with a victorious posture.

"In the garbage with you! With the rest of the trash!"

Holbrooke's boot connected with her stomach, and she was sent spiraling off the edge into the dumpster below.

Her fall was broken by the heavy trash bags, but it did little to ease her own weariness. She climbed out, hand over hand, and flopped out onto the stone ground, too winded to appreciate that Blytonbury was now gone.

She was in the hidden cavern of the Blue Moon Abyss. And that was all she could tell.

Her shoulder blades and her stomach fought her as she shakily pushed herself back up. Her body wanted to rest, but she still couldn't give up. She didn't know how this… _thing_ had more control of her memories than her, but she had to get up. Had to keep fighting back.

She couldn't let it win. She couldn't let it win.

A gentle female voice slowly called out to her. "You look tired, child…"

At the end of cavern was the ent creature that resided there, like a tree with a malformed face growing out of its bark. Akko just stared at her, panting for breath.

"But you did well to make it this far." She continued. "And I can offer you a reward. Behold, the future your heart desires."

Its roots parted, and within it, it showed the exact same vision it had the first time, on the nights before the Samhain Festival. Of Akko, dressed in the same garb as Shiny Chariot, dancing around on stage in a show of lights and color. Deliriously happy and without a care.

But the first time, the vision had continued to play as the ent offered to send her to this future in exchange for her memories. Whereas now, as the Shiny Akko within the roots danced, she suddenly stopped her performance.

She turned to Akko herself, and smiled.

"You don't even know who you were talking to here, do you?" The Shiny Akko within the roots asked. "And you still gave all this up? This is like, your only chance at making your dream real. And you completely blew it."

The real Akko stood upright, despite her ribs crying out. "It…it will…be real." She panted. "I'll… _make_ it…real. As…soon as I…get you out…"

The Shiny Akko copied her movements as though she were her own reflection. "Are you kidding? You didn't get crowned Moonlight Witch. You didn't get to win the broom race. This was your big shot! Why give it up!"

"I _said…_ I'll…make it real." Akko narrowed her eyes. "I beat this tree once…I'll do it again."

The Shiny Akko smirked. "How are you gonna do that?"

Akko reached down to her belt, filling her weary mind with the thoughts of the axe form the Shiny Rod took, of chopping down the tree and proving her own destiny. But the Shiny Rod was not at her waist.

The one in the vision raised her own Shiny Rod. "Looking for this?"

Akko growled, and found her regular magic wand in its place on her belt. She raised it up at the ent, at the vision, and a green whirlwind of energy pooled at its prongs, waiting to be unleashed.

"I don't care _who_ you are…!" She spat out. "This…is _my! Mind!_ And you can't _have it!_ "

She poured all everything she had left, every scrap of rage and fear and hope that she still had in her, and willed all the powerful emotions into her spell. Her voice was hoarse and worn out, but as she cast her incantation, it filled the cavern and echoed off the walls a hundred times stronger.

" _Murowa!_ "

The light at the end of her wand flashed with her anger, but just as it should've burst out in a beam of deadly energy, it simply…popped. And instead, a tiny white flag sprung out the end of her wand.

"…Wha-?"

The flag had a cutesy little drawing of Shiny Chariot on it, giving a bashful little wink. Next to it were written three small letters.

" _I.O.U._ "

The Other Akko in the vision began to cheerily laugh, laughing her guts out as Akko stared despondently at the flag. "That's a pretty weird spell you got there!" She giggled. "Here, let _me_ try one!"

She raised her Shiny Rod up, and when she cast it down, white bands shot forth, out of the vision itself and into the world. Akko gasped as one of the bands coiled itself around her wrist and pulled her forward.

As more bands wrapped around her waist, and another around her ankle, something in the mind reminded her how, the first time, if she had entered the vision, she would have lost everything. And that was exactly where the bands were retracting to.

With the very last of her desperation, she began biting at the magical cloth, hoping to break it as it slowly dragged her closer and closer. With her free hand, she pulled at the others. She tried not to think how there were too many even if she could break it, how more could come anytime the Other Akko willed it.

The Other Akko folded her arms behind her back and stepped to the side as Akko's foot was dragged into the vision, as though dipping it into water. "Remember! A mind…"

Akko closed her eyes as the rest of her body was dragged within the roots, still tearing at whatever she could grab.

"…is a terrible thing to waste. But then, now that I think about it…"

The roots slowly began to close over her head, and she was drowned in darkness.

And then with a shriek, she was thrown back to her bedroom.

She had woken up. Not only that. She had kicked out of her dream. Akko picked the bedsheets and blankets off of her. And she crumpled onto the wooden floor.

Lotte peeked over the top bunk, rubbing her eyes. "Akko?" She yawned. "What are you doing up? It's like five in the morning…"

Sucy lifted her head from her own bed, frowning at the two of them "What are you yelling about now? Some of us are trying to sleep."

She didn't say anything back to Lotte or Sucy. If there even was anything to say at this point, she honestly didn't know. She simply didn't know what happened.

She had given it her all. She had put everything she had into protecting her mind, kicking the spirit possessing her out, proving once and for all who was in charge.

And she had lost.

* * *

 _A.N. …Well then! You'll never know how long I wanted to put the Grand Charion in a fic, and I'm glad it was like this. I don't think I've seen Holbrooke's dad in a fic yet either, so that's neat!_

 _Next time, "A Few Days More" On the other side of things, in the real world, Hannah and try to help Diana plan her big surprise party and learn a surprise of their own. But then…how is Akko going to deal with everything that just happened? All that and more, and…yeah!_


	5. A Few Days More

Hannah was going out of her mind.

The door to the cafeteria opened, and her heart skipped a beat. But it was just Molly and Elfriede, and she let out her breath. She was having a crisis, completely drowning in anxiety and stress. For about the fifth time that morning, she conjured up a small mirror from her wand and gussied up as best she could.

She already ate a breath mint after breakfast, so she should be good on that front. Uniform looked…fine, nothing she could really do with it. Skin was fine, bangs were fine. Nothing was on her face at least, and her hair was Wait, was that a cowlick? That was a cowlick, Oh bad Time to abort Get out here before anyone-

Oh wait. It was just a piece of hair stuck to the mirror, from the last time she checked. False alarm. Mission was still on.

There was no one else in the cafeteria with her, but that wasn't what worried her, given it was about 10:30 in the morning. Diana was still on her kick with the whole surprise party, and Barb was running a quick errand, and no one else in their little coven was much of a morning person.

Which was a shame, because an anxious ball of stress eating alone was largely where Hannah had been stuck for the past week, due to one factor that kept eating at her. But just as Hannah's thoughts drifted over to the name, the cafeteria door opened again, and suddenly there was the girl herself.

Amanda trudged in the room, roughly rubbing the sleep from her eyes with the bottom of her palm.

Hannah quickly tightened up her ponytail, put on her best face, wished herself luck, and tried her best to calm and make herself look casual. "Oh hey, Amanda." She said, with just the slightest hint of interest. "What's up?"

"Hey." Amanda grunted.

"Are you going up to get breakfast?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, that's cool. I was just sitting here, but if you like, you could come join me."

Amanda's only response was a somewhat affirmatory grunt. Hannah herself had already eaten (she wasn't going to take the chance of something happening) but joined Amanda at the service counter nonetheless.

For breakfast, Amanda picked herself up a single carton of chocolate milk. Hannah couldn't deny she was surprised to see how fast it perked her up, but then Amanda was quick to do just about anything. It would probably be a while until anyone else got up to join them, which mean right now?

It was just the two of them, alone at the table. Together.

And Hannah wasn't quite sure what to do next. Much less where to take this. Which was, in a word, a _problem._

"So…!" She began, still doing her best to feign relaxation. "You know with exams finally done, I thought summer vacation was going to be quiet. But like, Diana's _really_ micromanaging this party…thing she's got going on. You, ah…think this party will be any good, once it's all ready?"

Amanda dryly snickered to herself. "It's not like _Diana's_ gonna know how to party. But I figure if I go, I might be able to salvage it, make sure everyone actually has a little fun."

"You _do_ know how to make things more interesting!" Hannah said, before quickly adding. "And I mean that in a _good_ way! Like, actually interesting, not…you know. Are you planning something, or…?"

"Eh. I'll figure it out once I get there. I'm not about to start micromanaging anything."

Hannah forced herself to laugh. "Yeah, I don't think I've seen Diana this excited in forever. She used to _hate_ going to parties and balls and whatever, but she's super fired up about this."

Amanda folded her arms behind her head and grinned lopsidedly. "That's because Diana doesn't know how to be chill about anything. Much less when it comes to you know who."

"I guess that's true. But you have to admit, sometimes the whole thing just seems crazy."

Amanda dropped the smirk, genuinely curious. "What thing?"

"Like Barb and I have known Diana forever. We figured we knew her better than anyone, and then Akko comes out of nowhere, and in just months she manages to get Diana to open up this totally new side of herself, just like that."

She snapped her fingers, and Amanda nodded.

"Year's a long time." She shrugged, returning to her chocolate milk. "Lot can happen in that amount of time. I figured the highlight of my year was just gonna be the broom race, and then I get kicked out. Yet, here I am, still here."

"Maybe. But sometimes, I just think it'd be nice to find someone you can just click with like that." She took a deep breath in, and out, and asked the question. "Did you ever…have someone…like that, Amanda?"

She eagerly watched Amanda's response, and was somewhat disappointed when she simply adjusted herself in her seat. "Eh. I don't believe in people clicking, or other halves or any of that destiny crap. A lot these things just happen by accident."

"So you don't…think there's someone like that out there for you? Someone who just…works? Who totally shakes up your entire world?"

The question seemed to strike Amanda. She hadn't exactly made a face, but her expression remained neutral for far longer than necessary for someone as quick witted as her.

And then, perhaps more for show, Amanda leered over with a smirk.

"Why ya asking?"

Hannah's face turned a deep scarlet. "I-I dunno! I'm just making conversation!"

"Aw, is that all? You don't even have a _little_ ulterior motives?"

"I'm being serious with you right now!"

"Fine, fine." Amanda snickered. "But like I said, the reason Diana's all extra about Akko is because she's like that about _everything_. I don't think there's any point in waiting around for your _soulmate_ or some big _destiny_ or whatever. You know what I mean?"

"Y-yeah, I guess. Like I was saying, I just…think it's weird how much things have changed since last year. R-really makes you stop and appreciate it sometimes, right?"

Amanda seemed…strangely disappointed with that answer, turning back to her carton of milk with a small scoff. "Right. But still. I'd rather be focused on _now_ then getting in a twist about the past or the future or whatever."

"…Makes sense, yeah."

A small silence fell over the two of them after that, and Hannah was left beating herself up inside.

And as loathe as she was to admit it, the idea of experiences defining her was not an idea she liked to consider. Largely because her own, especially the things she did, things she said, just that previous year, were not ones she was proud of.

Barb at least had NightFall to connect to Lotte with. And Diana knew a little bit about enough of everything to find a talking point with whoever she liked. Hannah felt like the only _she_ had in common with the rest of their coven was their past interactions.

And these days, all Hannah really wanted to do was divorce herself from her old days completely.

Both she and Amanda jumped when they suddenly heard a loud, fleshy smack. It was the kind of noise one only gets when a human body ran into something solid, such as a teenage witch running into one of the support pillars littered about the cafeteria.

And perhaps, unsurprisingly, the teenage witch who had run into it was one Akko Kagari. She immediately shook herself off, too busy muttering to herself to pay much attention to all the stares from the other cafeteria residents.

Even beyond the fact that Akko had been making herself rather scarce as if late, she was certainly a sight to see. There were some shockingly dark bags under her eyes, and her hair was a mess. Hannah knew she wasn't one to get up early in the morning, but she didn't think it was _this_ bad.

She looked ready to fall over completely.

"Uh…Yo." Amanda called. "How's it hanging, Akko?"

Akko practically crumpled into a seat at the table. Her face was drained of almost all of its usual energy and cheeriness, and she slumped over, head in her hands. "Ugh…"

"What, your head hurt now?" Amanda teased. "That's what happens when you don't look where you're going, you know."

"No." Akko's voice was startlingly monotone. "I actually did that on purpose. Had to wake myself up."

"I…what?"

"Felt myself falling asleep again. So I thought if I hit my head it'd wake me up. It worked the first few times."

Hannah always felt just the slightest bit uncomfortable talking to Akko. To any of the Red Team really, but her especially. Of course, with Diana's…attachment to her, Hannah never got much choice in the matter, so she held her tongue and let Amanda do most of the talking. Kept her from saying anything she would regret later.

Amanda's smile strained. "Geez, when was the last time you slept?"

"I'm not sure. Ursula left on Thursday, so…I think I slept through Wednesday night. I'm pretty sure, at least."

"Wednesday?" Amanda repeated in disbelief.

"Yeah?"

"It's Sunda-"

" _Yeah?_ "

"Oh…kay, you do you." Amanda chuckled awkwardly. "So…you…cramming then, or…?"

"I…shoot, I didn't mean to…" Akko groaned, scratching at the corners of her eyes. "Sorry, sorry. I'm fine. It's just I'm having nightmares. Except they're not actually nightmares because I'm actually living them."

"Oh. What?"

"I got cursed by a magic mirror and now whenever I go to sleep I have these nightmare vision things and the last night I slept Daryl turned evil and I tried to fight her in a robot but we got our arms ripped off and then Holbrooke's dad's skeleton attacked me and then I got sent to the cave thing I never told any of you guys about and I turned evil and attacked me. But the first night Lotte turned evil when I got sent back to my very first day in the forest and I almost got eaten by a cockatrice."

"Wh-?" Amanda narrowed her eyes. "That…so?"

"Yeah."

Amanda exchanged a brief glance with Hannah. She seemed clueless on how to process any of whatever that was, and she was the one who actually knew Akko. Hannah wasn't even sure she caught even close to half of that.

"That…sounds rough?"

"And I tried to find the mirror again and fix it but it didn't work and I don't know what else to do so I'm just going to stay up because if I don't sleep I can't have nightmares and if I don't have nightmares it can't get at me again because I don't know what else to do. Does that make any sense?"

It most certainly did not.

Akko hung her head in her hands. "Ugh. I'm sorry, I'm not explaining this right. I'm just kinda freaking out. I dunno what else to do, and I was hoping you guys had an idea..."

The best Hannah could offer was a sympathetic smile. "So…you're having bad dreams, huh? Maybe you should talk to Diana about it. I bet she knows a ton about what dreams mean and that kind of thing."

"No." Akko said, faster than Hannah was expecting her to. "I don't wanna bug her about this. Not…yet, at least. I just…wanna know if you have any ideas."

"Why would you go to _us_ first?" Amanda asked. "I mean, yeah, tell Diana about it. I mean nightmares suck and everything, but I don't know what you expect us to do. Diana'd probably listen to whatever you had to say to her."

"I'm not saying she _wouldn't,_ it's just that I'm…"

She nervously wrung her hands together. Her face had been virtually expressionless all morning. As much as she tried to hide it, the troubled look was a marked change that was hard to miss.

"I dunno." Akko sighed. "I just…I don't want her to…yell at me, or something."

Amanda furrowed her brows. "What, for having a bad dream? Why would she do that? You do something to get on her nerves?"

Akko considered the idea a moment, before her expression hardened. "…Maybe I _should_ figure this out on my own. I'm sure I can do it. I just gotta keep at it, that's all."

"How long are you planning on staying awake then?"

Akko stood from the table with a serious expression. "As long as it takes. Thanks anyway, guys."

She strode away from the table with a tired, yet somehow firm, resolve. Neither Hannah nor Amanda had any more clue what to make of any of the girl's rambling, other than perhaps a token of sympathy.

"That was…something." Hannah decided. "What was _that_ all about, anyway?"

Amanda turned her attention back to her forgotten carton of chocolate milk with a small snort. "Who knows? I had nightmares as a kid, but I never had one bad enough to stay up for a week straight. Poor kid."

"Yeah…" Hannah agreed. "You think we… _should_ tell Diana about it, or…?"

"Nah." Amanda said. "She asked us not to. Besides, what's Diana gonna do for her anyway? Akko doesn't wanna vent, and Diana's type is pretty much all talk and no action."

Hannah didn't know what to say to that. Amanda didn't have anything more to add, either. And once again, the expectant silence reigned over the two of them.

Once again, Hannah was left wishing she could go back and change the way things were. Maybe it'd be easier to talk to the girl she had a crush on, if everything with Akko hadn't happened.

She did her best not to sigh in front of Amanda.

Across the cafeteria, she watched as Wangari walked up to Akko just as the latter was walking out. "Hey ho, Froggo!" She laughed. "How's the News Network's favorite fallback story doing today? Got anything interesting going on la-?"

"I am _not_ a quitter, Wangari! I'm just changing tactics, okay?!"

"I…?"

"And it's _not_ gonna be for the rest of my life! It's a war of attrition! All I gotta do is stay awake every single day and eventually it's just gonna get bored and leave and _everything_ will be hunky dory and _I'll WIN!_ "

Wangari stared at her a moment, and then beamed, clasping her hands together. "Alright! You seem to have a…handle on things so…I'm just gonna go! See ya later then, Akko."

Wangari hastily spun on her heels, and Akko stomped out of the cafeteria.

Amanda leaned over to Hannah. "My god, I think she's losing it."

"Yeah…"

* * *

Thoroughly unsuccessful in talking to Amanda, Hannah eventually found herself meandering through the halls without much direction later in the afternoon. Mostly, she wanted someone to talk to.

Barb was still busy with Lotte, having decided to throw a social for their book club for real. She wasn't sure how much of friends she was with Jasminka or Constanze, and Red Team was _definitely_ out of the question, which left only Diana.

"Hey, Diana? Have you ever tried to talk to someone you liked…like _really_ liked, and then just totally choked up instead?"

Diana silently considered the question, before going back down to the notebook she'd had her nose in almost every waking hour.

"…No, not that I can ever recall."

"R-right, right." Hannah scratched the back of her head. "Of course _you_ would never act like that! You're…you! I didn't mean to imply anything."

Diana cleared her throat. "Yes, well…it's merely one of those things one has to work on. I'm not sure I myself am qualified to give the best advice on this subject, but it could very well just be something on has to work on independently."

Hannah nodded. That's what she had been afraid of hearing. "I guess that makes sense?"

"One thing that may help is a change of scenery." Diana snapped the notebook shut. "And I only mention that because I believe…I may have to make a quick excursion off-campus."

"What? Why?"

"I was speaking with Sucy the other night, and she had…an idea for a present. But it's not something I believe I can manage here, at least not without alerting Akko to what I'm doing."

"Oh." Hannah realized. _Her_ again. "Are you asking me to come with?"

"If you'd like. I'm still not entirely certain what I'll need, and it's nice to have a traveling companion."

"Really?" Hannah couldn't keep the surprise from her voice. "You used to be all about these things by yourself."

"What can I say?" Diana said absently. "I find myself enjoying the company more these days. If you'd like, you may invite someone along as well."

"Barb's busy, and I don't know who else I'd invite."

"Ah. So you wouldn't be thinking of O'Neill then."

Hannah crossed her arms. "...What's that supposed to mean?"

"It..." Diana's brows furrowed. "…doesn't have to mean anything."

"Why do you only use her last name then?"

"Force of habit, I suppose. O'Neil can be troublesome, and I can't deny she gets on my nerves. But after everything we've been through, she's more than earned my trust. If you'd truly like to invite her, then by all means."

Hannah sighed. "Look, I don't…even if I wanted to, I don't know if I even know how to _talk_ to her."

"In my experience, O'Neill does quite enough talking on her own." Diana muttered under her breath.

Hannah narrowed her eyes. She still had nothing but respect for Diana Cavendish, but she, and the knot in her stomach, did _not_ like Diana Cavendish badmouthing Amanda like that.

"Okay like, _first_ of all, Amanda's actually really cool, and she doesn't even make a big deal out of it so she's not smug. And she knows what she's talking about most of the time and when she doesn't, she's at least really funny! Plus she's, you know, really athletic and strong, and she always looks so good even though she obviously doesn't care and _why are you smiling?!_ "

Diana hid her mouth behind her hand. "I apologize. I meant no disrespect, of course."

Hannah was sure her face was flushing. "All I'm saying is Amanda's got her good points, and _that's it._ "

"Of course." Diana said, still smiling. Hannah couldn't remember her smile ever looking that smug before. "In any case, I have to get permission to take this trip off campus in the first place. It shouldn't take me terribly long, so please let me know if you do wish to bring Amanda."

It took a lot of effort for Hannah not to stomp her foot. "I never even _said_ I liked Amanda!"

Diana didn't even bother to dignify that with a response, simply turning on her heel to take care of business.

And yes, Hannah knew she was being pathetic, but she didn't know what else to do.

Hannah leaned over the railing, trying, and failing, to ignore her melancholy. And it only became all the more difficult when Jasminka and Akko rounded the corner on the floor below. Jasminka watched as Akko chugged down the contents of a canned drink.

The girl's features contorted as she brought the can away from her lips. "These have caffeine in them, right?"

Jasminka shrugged. "I think energy drinks are nothing but caffeine. I don't think they taste very good..."

"I don't like them either. I've had six."

"S…six?"

"Yeah."

"I don't think you're going to be able to sleep tonight."

"Thanks, Jasminka. You wouldn't believe how nice it is to hear someone believe in me, right now."

Jasminka looked visibly uncomfortable. "You're...welcome?"

Watching as Akko dragged her feet down the hall and out of view, familiar and comfortable feelings, yet ones she ultimately knew were wrong, burned through Hannah's chest. She tried so hard to bury the hatchet, but the more things changed, the more old wounds got dug up.

What happened to the days when everything was easy? There was the untouchable Blue Team, and then there were the rest. Akko was a simple nobody who hadn't won everyone over, Amanda wasn't someone who plagued her thoughts day and night.

Everything was open and shut, until suddenly it wasn't and now she was the rest watching everyone from the sidelines remarking how much more sense this new world made.

If Amanda knew she liked her, which she seemed too smart not to, why couldn't _she_ take the first step? Even rejection was more open and shut than anxiety. She cared about Amanda O'Neill. And she didn't want to be wrong about Amanda O'Neill.

She could imagine the feeling of asking Amanda out, cheering her on whenever she challenged someone to a race, letting Amanda sweep her off her feet like she always teased she could. But she couldn't imagine actually doing it, and risk the world flipping upside down again.

So, she was stuck, pining. She tried her best not to think about Amanda's earlier words of what 'Diana's type' was like.

And whether or not that included her.

* * *

After a few hours thought, she decided she would join Diana on her excursion. Diana thought a change of scenery might help, and she was usually right about these things, in Hannah's experience. Perhaps after a few days more, she could find the words that fit.

Diana was surprised to see her alone when she found her in the evening, but not disappointed. "It'll be just like old times."

"Yeah!"

Just like old times...

Diana set a hand on her shoulder, somehow sensing her mood better than she herself did. "It's not like Amanda won't be here when you return. I believe she's rather committed to staying this time around."

But Hannah still couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't putting it off for a few days. She felt like she was giving up. As if she didn't have enough teenage angst to deal with at the moment.

The two of them gathered what few supplies they might need for their trip. Diana prepared to report her departure to the professor's office, but before either of them got very far, she noticed the door to the library was left ajar.

And to Hannah's own surprise, they found Akko inside at a table, fast asleep. She had a few books open, probably hoping to distract herself, but it seems as though five straight days was one day too much.

Diana, almost predictably, approached her. "What in the world is she doing sleeping in here?" She pursed her lips, before turning to Hannah. "...We should get her to her bed. Help me wake her up, please."

"Actually, maybe we should just let her be." Hannah said, before she had even decided on saying it. "I guess she's been having trouble sleeping lately. She could probably use it."

"Has she?" Diana asked. "She...seemed restless the other day. Why didn't she tell me?"

"She sort of asked us not to tell you about it. I think she thought you were busy and didn't want to annoy you?"

Diana seemed initially unsure of how to take that, but eventually, a smile settled on her face. She kneeled over to inspect the sleeping girl's face, and with the lightest touches, she brushed a few stray auburn bangs from her forehead.

"I suppose this saves me the trouble of finding an excuse, but...I was hoping to say goodbye before I left."

Seemingly forgetting Hannah was there at all, Diana slipped into the seat across from Akko began to almost unthinkingly bend over, until her chin was almost touching the table as well. Her finger trailed down from her bangs, tracing the outline of Akko's lips, soft enough as to not stir her from her well-earned sleep.

"Busy..." A content hum, filled with adoration, escaped Diana's lips. "...you silly girl..."

It only took one glance at how utterly beside herself with love Diana was for Hannah to finally realize things were never going to be the same again.

Hannah cocked her head. "She's...a lot nicer than we gave her credit for, huh?"

Tender as it was, Diana's gaze turned a mite more wistful. "Yes." She whispered. "She really is."

The irony of being the third wheel when the second wasn't even conscious brought a genuine smile to Hannah's face. She gracefully made her exit with a promise that she'd "meet her there."

"Of course," was Diana's reply.

Hannah stepped out of the room and ducked out of view. But she lingered hidden in the doorway for reasons she wasn't entirely sure.

Every aspect of the once cold and proud Cavendish's body called out to anyone lucky enough to witness how little she actually wanted to leave the scene. She stood with a wistful sigh, and still filled with longing, Diana leaned forward, brushing a blonde lock of hair behind her ear.

Hannah was fully gone from the room just as Diana planted a small kiss on the sleeping girl's forehead, with a gentle, "Sweet dreams, Akko."

Everything truly _had_ changed. The Diana she and Barbara had doted on was a different person now, and the fact of the matter was, the old Diana had never been nearly as happy as this new one was. The fact of the matter was, everyone else thought things were better now.

There were still so many things Hannah said and did that she couldn't take back, but…perhaps it was time for her to change too.

Her thoughts drifted backwards once more, but this time, to something much happier. For all their differences, and all her own guilt, there was still something she had with Akko she would never forget.

A memory, of a certain girl handing her a photo of a boy she liked, who turned out to be far closer to home than she had ever realized.

Hannah looked down at herself, realizing she was still just eavesdropping on someone else living their best life.

"What am I doing here…?"

And, as fast as her feet could take her, she raced up the stairs, into the West Dorms, and banged on the door to the girl's room.

And thankfully, it was Amanda who opened the door. Hannah tried to not dwell on the fact she was in a tank top. Or the fact that she was absolutely rocking said tank top.

"Oh, hey Hannah. What's going on?"

Hannah took a deep breath, and said the words before she could actually think on them much. "H-hey, uh…Amanda? I was wondering if you maybe…and I mean you don't _have_ to, but…do you…maybewannadosomethinglater?"

Amanda hadn't missed a single word. "Yeah? Like what?"

"I…w-well, um…Diana asked me to go with her on a thing, outside of campus for like a birthday present or something, and maybe…you'd like to come with? Like, with me? Together…ish?"

Amanda playfully arched a brow. "Like...a date?"

Hannah flushed. "N-not exactly? I mean I...guess it could...but..."

Amanda's expression flattened. "Not exactly, or no?"

"Maybe leaning more towards no?" Hannah ventured.

"Yeah, shopping with Diana sounds like a blast…" Amanda began to close the door. "Look, I got stuff to do tonight, so..."

Hannah shoved her foot in the door so fast, Amanda actually jumped back.

" _Yes like a date!_ It's a date okay?! I'm trying to ask you out and this is the only way I know how!"

Amanda was taken aback by the outburst, but any shock she might've had was hidden behind the wide grin on her face as she feigned scandalization.

"Why, Miss England!"

Hannah hid her face in her hands. "Oh god, kill me..."

"So forward! So bold! I might just blush!"

Hannah managed to sink even lower into her hands, which was rather impressive, all things considered. "You don't have to tease me!"

"But you're asking _me_ out!" Amanda blew up her bangs. "I'm just shocked. And here I am with _nothing_ to wear."

"...I know what you could wear."

"What?"

"What?" Hannah blinked. "Wait, so...are you saying yes?"

"Guess I am." Amanda winked. "I told you before, Diana doesn't know how to party. And I'd hate to see you get...bored."

Between the wink and the implication, Hannah was sure steam was blowing out of her ears. "So…yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Y-yeah?"

Amanda snickered. "Lemme just put on a real shirt then. Be with ya in a sec."

Hannah cleared her throat. "Okay, yeah. Cool. Cool, cool. You do that."

As soon as Amanda shut the door, Hannah couldn't help but to pump her fists through the air. Had she actually just did that? She couldn't believe she had just did that. She did that!

And for the first time all week, she was feeling pretty good about herself. Perhaps good things did come of accidents sometimes. Wherever Akko was, she might actually have to thank her. If nothing else, Hannah hoped she got a good night's rest tonight. She definitely deserved that much.

Now…

Since she was going on a literal date with Amanda, she had to do something with her hair…

* * *

 _A.N. As a fun fact, REM sleep usually happens after 90 minutes of sleeping. I wonder how long Akko's been conked out in the library…_

 _Next time, "Akko Kagari and the Less than Holy Trails" Despite her best efforts, Akko's gotta dream sometime. What lies in store for one little mouse in a world she's losing control of?_


	6. Akko Kagari and the Less than Holy Trail

Akko was running as fast as her four legs could carry her, scampering across the gargantuan field in the dark of the night. She was tired, and out of breath, but if she slowed down, even for a second, it was going to catch her. A mouse was the very last thing she wanted to be right now. But that's what she had been in her memories, the first time this happened, and so it seemed she now had no choice in the matter.

She did her best to ignore the wailing of the monster behind her.

Her neck strained as she tried to peek over the giant blades of grass in search of an escape. She had tried everything she could think of. She hadn't been able to find someone to help her, and despite her best efforts, she couldn't just swear off sleeping for weeks on end, which left her with only one option left.

She had to run the gauntlet. There had to be a way to beat this spirit at its own game, and there had to be somewhere safe here for her to hide and catch her breath. The longer she stayed out in the open of the field, the closer the creature would be to catching her.

A smile found its way to her face as she spied the makeshift Festival stage. There had to be somewhere to hide there, or at the very least catch her breath.

But just as she neared it, the giant blue fleshy body slammed down right in between her and safety. Vajarois wailed, hungry for her sacrifice. With a small growl, Akko turned tail and ran the other direction.

Vajarois's giant hand made a grab for her. With her little legs, she couldn't cover ground fast enough to avoid it, but she was small enough to jump through the gaps between its fingers without issue.

She did her best to tune out the laughing of the festival audience. The first time around, in what had been one of the proudest moments of her life, it had been happy, genuine laughter at intentionally funny antics. Here, it was jeers, mockingly laughing at a ridiculous little creature running from a gigantic blob of a monster.

Vajarois wailed and attempted to clap its hands around her. Akko ducked underneath her its hands and desperately looked for somewhere else to run to.

Without the Shiny Rod, there was no way she could actually help Vajarois and get the Seed from its stomach. Lotte and Sucy were nowhere to be seen. And no matter what she tried, she couldn't summon the magic to transform into a human, or at least a faster animal. Everything that had helped her to succeed the first time around was gone.

She was nothing but a helpless little animal, being hunted while everyone looked on in amusement.

Akko scampered as fast she could to the nearest edge of the field, the ground rumbling underneath her paws from the massive steps of the banshee. ' _Almost there…'_ She told herself. ' _Almost there…_ '

Diana casually riding sidesaddle on her broom, flew over to meet her. Despite Akko running for her life, (and never mind how impressed Diana had been the first time this happened) she looked at the mouse with a bored expression.

"You told me to watch you, but I'm not sure what I'm meant to be seeing here."

"Trust me!" Akko said between breaths. "If Lotte and Sucy…were here…this would be…a _lot_ more impressive!"

"I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about. But your…performance is dragging on quite long. I'd like to get this festival over with."

Diana flicked her wand, and just as Akko was about to cross off the field and into the audience, she ran her nose directly into a transparent green barrier. "Your duty is to be sacrificed." She informed her. "Do us all a favor and let yourself be eaten please. I'm sure even you can manage that."

And with that, Diana flew off without a second glance. Once Akko stopped staring, she shook her paw at the witch's rapidly retreating backside.

"You know, if you keep up that surly attitude, I'm not gonna wanna date you in a few months!"

Before she could continue her angry, slightly dishonest tirade, a shockwave rippled through the ground as something massive slammed into the dirt. With a small gulp, Akko looked behind her to see something blue, fleshy, and shaped like Vajarois's face.

And it just so happened to be Vajarois's face.

With an ear-piercing screech, Vajarois raised its head and attempted to slam its mouth down directly on top of her. Akko darted to the side as fast as her legs could take her, only just pulling her tail out of the way in time.

But with Diana's barrier on one side, and the hungry bansee on the other, Akko had her back to the wall. There was nowhere on the field left to run to. Which left her with only one place to go.

With as big a leap as she could muster, she climbed right on top of Vajarois's head before it could raise it back up. Vajarois felt the pitter patter of her paws as they ran down its back, and it began to lower itself to the ground.

It only took Akko a second to realize what it was doing. It was going to buck, fling her off. Too single-minded on not being eaten to think if this was really the best idea, she scampered backwards up to its neck, hoping she had picked a good angle.

When Vajarois suddenly jerked its body upwards, Akko's own tiny body was sent spiraling uncontrollably through the air, screaming as she was thrown right near the stage.

She tumbled into the dirt, hissing at the pain in her back. But she couldn't waste another second to see how Vajarois or Diana or the rest of the crowd reacted. Shaking herself off, Akko turned to the stage and darted in between the support boards.

But then the world shifted again.

Where she had been _expecting_ to land on wood, she instead found herself slipping across polished linoleum. Akko sputtered as her paws slipped out from under her and she was sent skidding into a wall.

If the throbbing in her back wasn't jarring enough, the sudden shift in volume was. Going from the noisy Festival, filled with jeers and laughter and a giant ghost wailing at her to a quiet kitchen in a boys' academy was enough to make her head spin even more than it already was.

She got inside _somewhere_ , at least. She hadn't expected to find herself back in this memory, but it was better than being eaten alive by a ghost.

' _Why do these things never happen to Sucy? She actually would_ like _this stuff._ '

She shook away the thoughts of all the strange things Sucy said to here about that subject, or at least as many as she could, and pushed herself to her feet. She needed to get out of here as soon as she could. And the door to the kitchen just so happen to be left open.

She didn't even wait long enough to be relieved. She wouldn't even give the spirit a chance to ruin this memory. She simply made a mad dash to the door…

And ran directly into a polished black shoe.

Rubbing her aching snout, Akko looked up the length of the leg until she found herself looking into the sneering face of Louis Blackwell once again, looking down at the rodent with venom in his eyes.

"Oh no you don't, you disgusting little creature!" Louis tightened his fists around the broom in his hands. "I won't allow a little rat to sully Appleton's fine grounds!"

"I…" Akko blinked, before her paws balled into fists. "I'm a _mouse_ , ya jerk!"

Louis either didn't hear her tiny voice or simply didn't care. He raised the broom above its head, and Akko was forced to run once more as the bristles slammed down where her body had been. She shook her head and tried to find some other way out of the kitchen.

Was it so much to ask for five minutes without being almost maimed, eaten, or smashed? Just five. She'd even take four. With her heart racing in her chest and lungs pumping faster than they felt like they were meant to, Akko found herself wondering what she wouldn't give for a few seconds of peace.

* * *

Diana had to admit, the sunrise was quite peaceful. The capital was a beautiful city in the morning.

One advantage of being the favorite of the professors? When she asked Nelson if she could make an excursion off campus, no one asked too many questions and Diana didn't have to lie.

Going out as far as she was currently going was could quite honestly be seen more as a breach of the trust she had carefully built with the teaching staff, and a year ago she never would have even considered doing this. But she weighed the pros and cons in her head and had already decided that this was worth it.

Not that it stopped Amanda from teasing her about it. The hope had been that by leaving for downtown so early in the morning, weariness might curb her tongue if the unfamiliar setting didn't.

"Can't believe Diana Cavendish herself is out here breaking the rules. She's truly been corrupted. Pigs are going to start falling from the sky! There's gonna be snowballs in hell!"

Clearly, that had been wrong.

"It's not _breaking_ any rules." Diana argued almost automatically. Arguments with O'Neill usually went poorly, but she didn't want O'Neill to think she had one over her. "We're merely…farther out than what a 'quick supply trip' might imply. That's all."

Amanda snickered, trailing closely behind her just to make sure she heard. "When Hannah said we were going to go find a present, I figured we'd just go into town, not to another country."

"As I've said, the East Mogiana Republic is the only place where we can get our hands on the Sapņu Degviela."

Amanda narrowed her eyes. "De…what now?"

Diana bit back a sigh as best she could. "Sapņu Degviela is a highly coveted flower that's rarely in season, and this is the only place where we can even hope to get a sample of its petals, and you would already know that if you had listened the first four times I told you this."

"You're getting Akko flowers?" Amanda cooed. "Aww. That's so gay."

Diana tried her best to ignore her and focus only on finding her way through the unfamiliar city. "The plan was for this gift to be from everyone, but if you're going to take that attitude, you don't have to sign it."

"Why would I wanna sign off on a bouquet to your girl?"

"The flower is an _ingredient_ , O'Neill."

"For what?"

Diana pinched the bridge of her nose with a heavy sigh. "Hannah, would you do me a favor and kindly re-explain the plan to Amanda?"

Hannah, who had been intensely focused on how her bow looked in her personal mirror, looked up in confusion. "Hm? Oh, I'm sorry. Did you say something, Diana?"

Amanda shook her head. "Nah, she was just being gay." She said, and after a moment's thought, the smirk snuck its way back up. "Not that there's anything _wrong_ with that, this being a date and all."

Hannah flushed. "Y-yeah! I guess it is, huh?"

"Hey…maybe after we get whatever it is we're looking for, we can ditch the third wheel at some point? I bet this place has a _ton_ more interesting things to see than a flower shop."

Diana turned away with a small eye roll.

The capital of the East Mogiana Republic wasn't an enormous city, even for such a small country, but downtown was still bustling with more people than Diana ever cared to brush shoulders with. She found herself once again wishing that Luna Nova's greenhouse might've stored the Sapņu Degviela and saved her the trip, but she supposed she shouldn't be that surprised.

The flower was a former endangered species, until the revival of Yggdrasil. Then, like many creatures and beings that survived off residual magic power, the Sapņu Degviela began to thrive. Its numbers grew until it could, as the case so often went, become a commodity for public consumption, albeit a particularly rare one at the moment.

There weren't many plants with the same magical properties, and now that it was in season again, anyone who wanted the flower's coveted petals would likely have hunkered down in the city.

As they weaved their way towards the bazaar, Diana explained. "I tried to call this shop ahead, but they told me they only had a single shipment left in stock and I couldn't reserve any. I was hoping to get two of these, to ensure this potion is exactly right, but we may have to settle for just one. Let me know if you-"

She turned over her shoulder, but Hannah and Amanda were currently preoccupied with each other's eyes, leaning close to one another and absently rocking on their heels.

"Stooop…" Hannah whined, twirling her ponytail in her finger. "You're just saying that."

Amanda leered over her with a cheeky grin. "Nah, I'm serious. I mean that."

"I…I mean, I think you're really… _you know_ …too…"

So much for having travelling companions on this trip. With an annoyed huff, Diana made her way to the flower shop alone.

She knew it would've defeated the purpose, but she found herself wishing she could've taken this trip with Akko. Granted, she already _had_ a present for her, not even including this current one, but still, after last night, she wanted to give that girl the world for her kindness. Akko would probably jump at the chance to get out of Luna Nova and run around a place like this.

She also found herself wondering if she looked anywhere _near_ that pathetic around Akko. She hoped she didn't.

There was a huge crowd gathered around the shop, and while they weren't _all_ witches and wizards here for the Degviela, she was sure more than a few of them were. Awkwardly squeezing her way through people with hurried "excuse me"s and "pardon me"s, her eyes scanned around for her prize. There had to be at least a few left.

She really must be pathetic. When was the last time she went this out of her way for someone?

But there, in a single pot across the store, was the magic, yellow flower she had been searching for. Judging from the empty shelves surrounding it, the very last one they had in stock.

She let out a sigh of relief, and set her hands down on it at the same moment another person did. Which was just typical.

Already preparing an explanation in her mind, she turned to the other customer to inform them about how they should let _her_ have this plant, as it was much more urgent than whatever business they had with it. But as soon as she did, the words died in her throat, and her eyes widened in recognition.

"Ah…well." Croix Meridies forced herself to smile. "This is awkward."

* * *

Akko darted away the broom smashed several glasses right off the counter, spilling water everywhere.

"I am!"

Akko hopped onto a trashcan and onto the floor as the bristles swept a few more cooking utensils right off the counter.

"So sick!"

The trashcan was strewn away the broom's wooden handle rammed right into it.

" _Of today!"_

Louis's face was stitched in anger, his frustration only growing more and more at not being able to hit the mouse. Akko was doing her best to keep one eye on the door. It was still open, and all she needed was a way to get past this guy.

Normally, she'd wonder if she couldn't tire him out, especially with how frantically he was swinging the broom. But she was already half exhausted as is. The best she could do was wait for an opening, and try and make a run for it.

Louis let out an almost primal yell, raising the broom yet again. "Hold _still_ , you little-!"

With a series of twacks, the broom slammed into the ground. She dodged, as best she could, but a single lucky swing managed to connect with her tail.

She cried out, and that was all the hesitation Louis needed to grab her. He held her up by the scruff of her neck, peering at her with disgust.

"There!" Louis smirked. "Not so fast now, are you?"

Akko pathetically punched at the air, too far away from Louis's smug face to truly make any difference. "Put me down! Let me go already!"

"Yeesh…" Louis groaned. "All that squeaking is getting on my last nerve. I hate rats."

Could he not understand her? The first time around, they had all instantly pegged her for a witch's familiar. Louis approached the kitchen sink. Still being held aloft by the scruff of her neck, Akko could only gaze into her reflection in the water.

She didn't remember it looking so full a minute ago…

Louis smirked. "And what better way to get rid of a rat…"

The blood drained from Akko's face.

With a panicked mess of contortions, she moved on instincts, twisting her body up…and sinking her teeth right into the boy's finger.

"AAUGH!"

He dropped her instantly. Akko landed on the rim of the sink, and made a flying leap off to the ground. With Louis clutching his hand in pain, there was nothing blocking her from the door. She sprinted as fast as her legs could take her towards freedom.

And then a bucket slammed down over her. Less than half a meter from freedom, and she was trapped.

She heard a male voice let out a friendly laugh. She recognized it as Frank.

"Whoa there!" Frank said, holding the bucket down. "This thing almost got out! The Headmaster would blow a gasket if he saw a mouse in here!"

Frank suddenly rotated the bucket, scooping her up into the bottom as he hoisted it into the air. He looked at Akko with a curious, unassuming expression, before turning to someone else over his shoulder.

"Hey, how'd you know it was in here?"

"Eh, call it intuition."

Akko gasped. She recognized that voice. As Frank moved the bucket to a more comfortable position in his arms, he angled it just right for her to see Amanda, dressed in the Appleton uniform, with her hair slicked back and the Grail they had searched for, spinning on top of her finger.

Amanda met her eye, and smirked.

"So…what?" Frank asked. "Is this your pet, or something, man? It's kinda a cute mouse!"

Amanda shrugged. "Nah, that's not a mouse. That's _clearly_ a witch's familiar. Maybe even a witch herself! Who can really say with those girls?"

Frank's eyes widened. "It _is?_ So you _were_ right! There are witches in Appleton!"

"A deal's a deal, right?" Amanda smiled. "I got my end of the bargain, so I'm gonna walk out of here with this Grail, if that's alright with you."

"Where did you say you _actually_ went to school again?"

"Ah, it doesn't matter. I'm done with that old place anyway. Figured I'd have one last bit of fun and get myself expelled."

"Wow." Frank mouthed. "That's pretty intense."

Akko couldn't believe what she was hearing. Amanda sold her out.

"Amanda!" She called out. "You can't do this! It's _me!_ We're supposed to go back to Luna Nova together!"

Amanda stuffed the Grail into her bag, and gave Frank a small smile. "Alright then, I guess I'll be hitting the road then. Can't do much more damage here, after all!"

Frank peered into the bucket. "Hey…this thing's squeaking an awful lot. I think maybe it…knows you?"

"Yes!" Akko called out. "C'mon Amanda! Remember what they almost did to _you_ , when they found out you were a witch? You can't just-!"

"No." Amanda said to Frank. "I don't know her."

Akko felt something inside her break. Something between despair and guilt filled her. Amanda shot off a cheeky salute, and walked out the door without another look.

Amanda would never do this, she told herself. Amanda's always been loyal to her friends. Why would her mind _ever_ think Amanda would do this? It was already so hard to look Lotte in the eye after that first dream, and now Amanda too…?

Why did her dreams keep doing this? Keep taking her friends, the people who she cared about more than anything, and twist them like this?

"Hey Louis!" Frank said. "I guess this is a witch in here? What do you wanna do with it?"

She _didn't_ think of her friends this way. She trusted them. Didn't she? It…it had to be all the spirit's fault, but it still _hurt_. It hurt to hear, to see all the most important people in her life dismiss her.

So why did it always feel like her fault?

"A witch?" She could hear the sneer in Louis's voice. "I think you know very well what Appleton does with witches. You can get the kindling started. I have a few things to say to this little witch…"

Frank suddenly jolted the bucket, and Akko's head smacked into the side.

* * *

Akko was jolted awake, her heart hammering in her chest. A jolt was the only way to really describe it. She was single minded in her dreams, always focused on beating whatever threat bore down at her, on whatever environment she found herself in next.

But when it was all over, her fear and her confusion, her survival instinct still crying out in alarm, her stomach still churning from the words her friends had said, hit her the same way a car might hit a brick wall at top speed.

Her mind was electric, frantically panicking to catch up to the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that had jumped and slammed into her all at once.

The nightmare was over, and she was back in the safety of the library, but she didn't feel safe at all. She was gasping in lungfuls of air, but it wasn't enough. She tried to stand from the chair but only managed to fall to the floor.

It took her five minutes to finally catch her breath. Her temples throbbed hotly, and her back was aching from all the falls she took. She couldn't keep doing this. She couldn't do this night after night.

At this point, the only thing that terrified her as much as falling asleep was waking up, and having to wait to do the entire thing all over again.

Her eyes wandered across the bookshelves. Maybe there was a book in here, something that could tell her how to beat this thing. Luna Nova had the mirror in storage, so there had to be some information on it somewhere. A bestiary, a guide, _something._

Her heart only sank as she realized just how many books there actually were in here. She had no idea where to even start looking. She didn't even know what this spirit's name was. How long would it take until she found what she was looking for, and how long would it take for her to simply crash and fall asleep for another nightmare?

' _C'mon Akko…'_ She took a deep breath in and out. ' _There's…there's gotta be a way out of this. There's gotta be._ '

She groaned at herself, and stormed out of the library. She needed someone to help her with this, or at least someone to point her in the right direction. She didn't care that it proved the spirit was right about her, or if it was cheating, but it was better than sitting around feeling sorry for herself.

She just needed to keep throwing everything she had at the wall until something finally worked out. This was the way she always dealt with her problems, the way that got her to where she was in the first place.

She had dealt with a lot since she first came to Luna Nova well over a year ago. Even before this spirit came along and corrupted them, some of those really hurt to remember, if she ever let herself do so. And sometimes, she wondered if she were to stop and think about it, if she could even find the strength to keep going.

So she simply…didn't. She didn't think about. She didn't want apologies for the way people treated her. She didn't need justifications for all the cruel hands that had been played on her. She knew, she _knew_ , she was a witch who had a future. So she held onto that fact and kept pushing herself forward.

If Diana told her she was destined to drop out of school, she'd cram and study and if that didn't work, she'd bribe the professor. If she got the worst pick for the school festival, she'd prove she deserved a better one and if that didn't work, she'd make her sacrifice performance the best in the show. If her inspiration, her idol, turned out to have done something horrible to her, she…

…She would just…move on. Forgive, and especially forget.

That's how she always dealt with her problems.

She would just keep moving on, again and again, and hold onto hope that she could break through the wall before she ran out of things to throw.

Akko opened the door to the Red Room, finding Sucy messing with her potions at her desk. She felt guilty for being grateful Lotte wasn't here right now.

Quietly approaching the other witch, Akko cleared her throat. "Sucy, I…I need your help with something."

"Can it wait?" Sucy said over her shoulder. "I'm in the middle of something right now."

Akko grabbed her chair and forcibly turned her around. "Sucy, I'm being serious!" She pleaded. "There's no one else I can go to with this! You're my only hope, and I _need_ your help with this!"

Sucy set down her potions with a resigned sigh. "Why don't you tell Diana about whatever this is? Or Lotte? Why should I-?"

" _No!_ " Akko snapped. "I…I can't go to them! And Ursula is gone, so you're the only one left! Lotte's at least told you stuff, and you're smart! You like dead things, right? So…so maybe if you help me out you can just…have it! Experiment on it, I don't care! You can-!"

Sucy held up her hand. "Okay, slow down. What in the world are you talking about?"

Akko swallowed, still too rattled from waking up. "I'm…I'm being possessed. I got cursed by a magic mirror, and I think something's in my head, and it's screwing everything up. I don't know what else to do, and I'm getting really worried. And every time I go to sleep it just gets worse and worse."

"Possessed?"

"Look, I don't know what it is, okay?! And I'm trying! But I can't…I can't even sleep at night! I can't beat it during the day, I don't know what else to do, and if…if I go to Diana and she shows up in my dream…I…I don't know if I can…"

Akko heaved, and suddenly trying to speak and bite back tears at the same time was just too much. Sucy could only take a single look at her face before she gently guided Akko to the chair.

Her legs gave out as soon as she hit the seat. She was so tired.

"Alright, alright." Sucy said. "I'll take a look if it'll get you to shut up."

Akko sniffled. "You…will?"

Sucy picked a book from her shelf and rapidly flipped through the pages with obvious familiarity. "Let me just find a good, thorough identifying spell and see what we're dealing with here. I figured with everything we've been through, _one_ of you would find a way to curse yourselves again."

Despite how low she felt, Akko's smile spread ear to ear. "I won't forget this, Sucy. I'm serious. Thank you, _thank you!_ "

Sucy pulled out her wand, and in moments, the top of Akko's head was covered with a purifying blue light, as the magic searched out for any sign of foreign magic within her head.

"Yeah, well…" Sucy actually returned the smile. "Just let me borrow whatever remains this spirit has and we'll call it even. I've actually been _looking_ for a creature that can-"

And then the blue light surrounding her head turned white. Sucy grunted in confusion, and cast the spell over. After a few moments, the same result happened, and Sucy's expression instantly soured.

"…Seriously Akko?"

"What? What is it?"

Sucy roughly grabbed her by the shoulder and yanked her from the chair. "I don't get what you're trying to pull here, but _some_ of us are actually doing work. If you're bored, go bother someone else."

Akko could only blink as she was suddenly being shoved out of the room. "Wait, what did you find?"

"Nothing."

"No, seriously, tell me! What is it? What's-?"

Sucy shoved her out of the room with an annoyed glare. "I _did_ just tell you. There's nothing in there."

Akko's jaw fell open. But she knew that wasn't true. Of course it wasn't. The mirror was clearly cursed. It had reacted when she touched it. It played back her memories. She _talked_ with the spirit, every time it had possessed her memories.

"…You have to check again." Akko told her. "I _know_ something's messing with me, I just need you to-!"

Sucy rolled her entire head. And before she slammed the door in Akko's face, all she said was, "You really must not even have a _brain_ in there either. I could check a hundred times. The only consciousness that's been inside your head this past week has been your own."

* * *

 _A.N. Well, we had to get Croix in there sometime. Sorry again for the sporadic upload schedule! But if you follow me on my tumblr, I've actually got a cover art I'll be posting tomorrow that I've been working on, alongside a short little thing._

 _Next Time, "Commotional Affection" Akko seems to be having a rough time of it, and all she knows is, she really wants someone to be nice to her right about now. But with Diana away, there doesn't seem to be too much they can do…is there?_


	7. Commotional Affection

For a moment, Akko stood closed out of her own room, at a complete loss for words, unable or unwilling to process what had just happened.

Her hand balled into a fist, and she slammed on the door, as hard and noisily as she could, without a single care whether it bothered their dorm neighbors.

" _Sucy!_ " She yelled. "You can't just lock me out of my own room!"

Inside, Sucy indifferently called back. "Go away."

"I'm _not_ lying about this, Sucy! There's some sort of spirit in my head and you missed it! You…you need to check again! I _need_ you to check again!"

"If whatever this is supposed to be is so important, then go ask someone else to double check my work. I'm not in the mood."

"No! It needs to be you! And I already told you why! Just open the door and-!"

The door suddenly swung open, and Akko fell forward. She caught herself on her feet before she could hit the floor, perhaps due less to luck and more to practice from her mind constantly being on high alert for danger.

Sucy stood once again in the doorway, with a glare on her face and a vial in her hand. "Fine, do you really want me to check again?" She said, making little effort to hide her annoyance. "Here. I'll check again. Don't blame me if this doesn't do anything."

Never breaking eye contact with the other girl, Sucy turned the vial upside down, and a strange blue liquid splashed down right on top of Akko's shoes. The concoction bubbled, and it fizzed, until it simply dissipated entirely from sight.

If the potion had done anything, it was not immediately obvious.

Akko leveled Sucy with a flat look. "What was that supposed to do?"

"That," Sucy said, "was a purification potion. If there _was_ a spirit, it would've just been violently reacted, and if it was a weaker one, likely would've exorcised itself from your body. But since it did _nothing_ , then there must be _nothing_."

"I…" Akko growled. "No, I _know_ there's something!"

"Oh, for the love of…" Sucy rolled her eyes. "How many more tests do you want me to do before you get it through your head? Why are you so insistent on being cursed?"

"Because it's in there!" Akko yelled. "You must've cast the spell wrong, or…or maybe there's something wrong with your potion! You need to listen to me on this, okay?!"

Sucy barely reacted beyond a slight narrowing of her eyes. But as soon as the statement left Akko's mouth, it suddenly tasted bitter.

Was this _her_ talking? Or was this the curse once more? The very same one making her doubt her friends, imagining them doing such cruel, twisted things they would never do? She didn't believe Sucy was right, but how much of that was her own logic, and how much of that was the effects of the fears plaguing her at night, worming its way into her head?

Akko hid behind her hands with a frustrated groan. She really didn't know. She couldn't even be sure who she _was_ anymore.

"…Sucy, it's not that I don't _believe_ you. But I…I can't sleep until I get this fixed. Just…please. I don't know what else to do."

A softer, more sympathetic emotion flashed across Sucy's face, one that couldn't be completely hidden under her quickly assumed mask of indifference. In the end, the best Sucy could muster was a sigh.

"You had a nightmare, Akko. What exactly do you expect me to do here?"

"Well, I dunno…" Akko wrung her hands together. "Maybe…you could come with me? We…I'm sure if we work together, we can beat what's running around inside my head, and everything will go back to normal. You're not too busy, are you?"

"I'm _working_." Sucy said. "Or at least I'm trying to. _I_ still have an exam left, and I still have to make sure these mushrooms grow correctly, and on top of _that_ , now I have to rework this stupid potion for…for a personal project. The point being, I'm busy."

Whatever remaining energy Akko had was gone in an instant. She didn't feel angry. Nor did she feel like crying anymore. She just felt empty.

Busy. Just like Diana and Ursula had been.

She looked around the hall, noticing a few other doors had cracked open, and who knows how many pairs of curious eyes were trying to see the source of all the yelling. She couldn't bring herself to voice her thoughts, too sure that if she did, she'd say something that sounded more blaming than Sucy deserved to hear. So Akko just hung her head and decided to stay silent.

"…Look." Sucy shifted on her feet. "If you don't mind being quiet, you can wait in here for Lotte to get back and she can check." After a moment's thought, and a begrudging groan, Sucy added, "…or I could _maybe_ …come with you to check with Diana."

Akko shook her head mechanically. "No. You don't have to do that. I didn't mean to doubt you, Sucy." Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet. "I'll…stop bugging you."

Trying her best to ignore the eyes on her, Akko dragged her feet away from the room, and gave a half-hearted wave of her fingers for a goodbye.

Just before she closed the door again, Sucy glanced over her shoulder. "…It was a nightmare, Akko. Sometimes these things just happen."

Akko wasn't sure if she wanted to believe her or not. She wasn't sure _what_ to believe anymore. She trudged her way to the stairs, wondering what in the world her next move was supposed to be now. As she went by, the door to the Green Team's room creaked open, and Jasminka toed out into the hall to greet her.

"Akko?" Jasminka asked. "Are you okay?"

"…It's nothing."

"It just sounded a little scary out here. We wanted to make sure you were alright."

Jasminka gestured to the inside of her room, opening the door wide for her, and Constanze shot her a concerned look from her bed.

Akko found her eyes wandering. "…Where's Amanda?"

The machine in Constanze's lap unfolded itself and spoke up in its creator's place. "Amanda departed with Diana and Hannah last night!" The Stanbot stated. "They did not specify when they'll return."

Dozens of conflicting thoughts cropped up in Akko's head. About Diana not being here. About _Amanda_ not being here. She winced, trying in vain to block them out. She must not have been as discrete as she hoped she was being, as Jasminka took her by the hand and led her right into the room, out of sight from the rest of the hall's prying eyes.

"Akko appears to be close to malfunctioning." Constanze's Stanbot said. "Miss Constanze believes you should come in and recuperate."

Constanze nodded with an affirmative grunt, and Jasminka, in turn, went to her desk and offered her a small bag of treats and a reassuring smile.

"Do you want some candy? I know how you like the sour ones."

Akko couldn't even manage to look her in the eye. She silently flopped down on Amanda's bunk, staring at the wall with her back to the rest of the room.

She didn't notice the look Jasminka and Constanze gave each other, but she did feel Jasminka's hand resting on her shoulder.

"You've been really quiet lately. Did something happen?"

"…I don't know anymore."

"You can always tell us! We'll keep it completely secret. It won't even have to leave this room." Jasminka made a show of crossing her heart.

The Stanbot hopped up from Constanze's lap and found its way to its usual spot on her head. "Miss Constanze is excellent at secrets, as she still cannot properly speak!"

Constanze narrowed her eyes at the Stanbot, but didn't actually bother to deny what it said either.

To the Green Team's dismay, Akko hadn't even shifted. She was lying as motionless as she had been when she first laid down.

"Do you know what I do whenever I feel homesick?" Jasminka said. "I like to take my wand and make a little snow! It's so fluffy and soft, and it always reminds me of where I grew up. Do you have anything like that?"

Akko merely stared at the wall.

"Miss Constanze would like to know if you wish to visit the lab." Constanze's Stanbot offered. "We could use assistance in painting a few machines, and Akko is very good at reaching the taller portions! Would this help Akko feel better?"

When Akko failed to respond, Jasminka let out a small hum, and sat down at her desk. "Well, if you just want to lay down in here, me and Constanze don't mind. If you promise it will help you feel better, then we promise we'll stay right here, and we won't make you say anything you don't want to. Deal?"

Akko rolled over just enough to give Jasminka a small smile. "I really don't deserve you guys…"

"Don't be silly, Akko." Jasminka smiled, mistaking the statement for a simple platitude. "What are friends for?"

Akko didn't say anything back, returning her attention to the blank wall.

True to their word, Jasminka and Constanze decided to leave her be, but it was apparent they were ever so slightly uncomfortable, and she really couldn't blame them. Even when she actually slept, she never rested. Her mind had been awake for days on end, and her body was bruised and felt like it was on the edge of collapse.

She had been fighting this whole time, and she had nothing to show for it but an awkward silence and a stupid argument with someone she loved. Her eyelids felt heavy, and her head even heavier.

She sunk into the pillow, and when the calling of sleep came for her once more, she didn't have the motivation to fight it anymore.

* * *

When she inevitably found herself snapped out of sleep and placed somewhere else, she was neither surprised or curious. The first thing she noted was that she was now in heels. And a dress that felt much stiffer than it had the first time.

She was at the Hanbridge Manor, back when Paul Hanbridge had been throwing a party to celebrate something or other about Andrew's inspiring success. She couldn't see Lotte or Sucy anywhere, much less Andrew or anyone else she actually recognized.

Akko slunk to a corner of the room, doing her best to avoid eye contract. She knew she should at least _try_ to psyche herself up, get ready for another long night of struggle and panic. But she couldn't do it, not tonight, and not again.

Right now, there was only one thing her heart was longing out for. She was slightly less afraid of what would happen if she kept avoiding Diana than she was if Diana actually saw her like this, so she knew she needed to stay the course. But that didn't mean she didn't want to see-

She heard a soft gasp from next to her. And suddenly, there she was. Standing radiantly in her emerald blue dress, her pointed heels and her silk gloves, her beautiful blonde hair and the lightest blush on the pale of her cheeks.

"Diana…?"

Akko's heart seized.

This was it. This was the nightmare she had been dreading. This was what the curse was going to torture her with tonight. She wanted to move, but her legs were frozen. She could only watch helplessly as Diana's lips parted.

"Oh Akko, I've been looking everywhere for you." Diana let out a sigh of relief, daintily laying a hand on her chest. "I apologize for running off so suddenly, but I've found you at last."

Akko couldn't do anything but swallow.

"Why do you look so pale? I realize I've been cold to you in the past, but I assure you, I would never treat you so poorly again. I just wish to spend time with you more, that's all."

"W-wait…" Akko narrowed her eyes. "You…you mean that?"

"Of course I do." Diana giggled. "I meant what I said in the hall. I do truly love you, Atsuko Kagari."

"You're…you're not…going to yell at me?"

"Yell at you?" Diana shook her head. "Oh Akko…haven't you been listening? I care about you more than any other. Why in the world would I ever yell at you?"

Akko winced. Of course Diana wouldn't. Of course a Diana stung by a Cupid Bee wouldn't. How many times was she going to make this mistake? How long until she seriously hurt someone's feelings like this?

"You're right." Akko choked out. "I know you wouldn't actually do that. None of you would be that mean on purpose. I _know_ you're all really nice friends. I know you…y-you wouldn't…it's not…not your fault…it's…"

She trailed off, and her knees simply crumpled underneath her as she hung her head in her hands. Diana could only step back and watch as Akko let out a long, frustrated, moan.

"…I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

Diana murmured in confusion, but that was the only hesitation she afforded herself. She knelt down to her level, and with a small cough to get her attention, offered a gloved hand to the girl on her knees.

"…Akko, would you like to step outside for a moment?"

She found herself being led by the hand out to the privacy of the balcony, guilt and exhaustion burning through her chest. But Diana didn't say anything on the way there. She didn't say anything at all, until she let Akko lean herself against the railing and was satisfied that the girl had sure footing once more.

Akko slumped over the banister, looking more at the stars than the kind girl next to her.

"Akko…" Diana started in a soft tone. "You know…I can't help you if you won't let me. Tell me what's wrong."

"…I wasn't even invited to this party, you know. I just snuck in, because…" Akko shrugged. "I don't even know. I just didn't like Hannah and Barbara saying I couldn't, so I just did it."

"Is that truly what's bothering you?"

"…No. Not really." She admitted, before turning to look Diana in the eye. "Why…are you being so much nicer to me than all the other dream people? Every time I turn around, it's some new horrible thing. What makes you…still act like you?"

"I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you mean." Diana said. "But I _do_ know, I could never be cold to you Akko. You're one of the most special, most beautiful, and most energetic people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

"…You're just saying that because of the bee." Akko said, turning her view back to the stars. "We don't even really know each other yet."

"But I know what my heart says, Akko. And it yearns for you."

Akko squinted. " _Yearns_ for…?"

"For you, Akko, and no one else. And it breaks to see you in such a state. So please, tell me what I may do to help you. Anything."

The truth was, Diana was still the last person she wanted to see her like this. But as she gazed over the banister, her eyes glazing over the dozens of almost nondescript people she didn't know or recognize, Akko was reminded that this, all of this, was not the real world.

The consequences of the real world didn't apply here, and once she awoke, no one would know what she said. The real Diana wasn't here.

It wasn't much. But it gave her the confidence to speak that she couldn't find anywhere else.

"…I just don't know what to _do_ anymore." She finally let out. "I've been doing everything I can to fix this, but it just keeps getting worse and worse. I don't _want_ to keep thinking about my friends doing these things, but I can't stop it and I'm…I'm scared that if they find out the kind of things I've been dreaming about…they'll be…disappointed, in me."

Akko braved a look to Diana, but the Cavendish's face was completely devoid of whatever judgment she might've been expecting.

"May I ask…why do you believe they'd be disappointed? Didn't you say yourself that they're good people?"

"They are." Akko said. "That's why I'm scared what will happen if they find out. I…I can't stop the dreams, but they're still _my_ memories that are getting twisted. And it's not fair to them."

"Perhaps." Diana said, placing a finger to her chin. "But what makes you think they'd be disappointed, if you know they care about you?"

"I…" Akko swallowed, almost intimidated to even try to say this to her. "So…I have this…friend. And they're really important to me. And the last time I really got to talk with her, my friend said that…nothing made her happier than seeing me smile."

She briefly expected Diana to say something to that, but once again, all she did was wait silently for her to finish. But Akko couldn't meet her eyes anymore. Her chin sunk to the banister and she hid her face beneath her arms.

The breath Akko let out shook as it past her quivering lips. "…But I don't… _feel_ like smiling right now. And I know she's busy with a lot of stuff. And I don't want her to see me like this, because if she does, I feel like she's gonna be really disappointed…"

Diana looked down at her. "Forgive me if this sounds callous, but don't you think you're twisting her words?"

"Yes." Akko muttered. "I know I am. I know I'm being really stupid. But...even if she wouldn't be mad at me for being like this, I don't want what's happening to everyone else in my dreams to happen to her. I'm…I can't handle anything else going wrong."

"Do you expect things to go wrong?"

"No, I don't _want_ things to go wrong, but they always _do_. I keep trying and trying, but I'm running out of things to try because _nothing_ works. And I've tried everything I can think of but it just always goes wrong so how am I supposed to feel? What am I supposed to _do?!_ "

Akko's grip tightened around the banister. Her face grew hot

"I wanna fix this, alright? I wanna be a good witch who can do things right. I want to get better. I want to be a good friend. I want Diana to be proud of me. I want…I w-want..."

Akko sniffled. And the first tears finally broke through.

"I just wanted to go home…" She admitted. "I love Luna Nova…a-and I love my friends. But I wanna go home…"

She pinched her eyes shut, trying to stop herself from breaking down even further, but the tears kept breaking through. Diana merely laid a hand on her back, and gently encouraged her to let it out.

"Sshh, Akko." Diana whispered. "It's okay."

She rubbed at her eyes, as the tears slid down her cheeks. "I don't wanna keep messing up…I-I don't wanna keep seeing every time I screwed up every night. I don't wanna keep...keep letting everyone down, b-but I keep doing it over and over. I just wanted a break. I just wanted to go home…"

And Akko, unable to do anything else, simply sobbed.

She couldn't say how long they sat there, Diana petting her back as all the pent-up frustrations of the past week finally caught up to her. All Akko knew anymore was that it took her longer than she wanted for her eyes to finally clear up enough to see.

She didn't used to mind people seeing her cry. Nowadays, it did nothing but leave a heavy feeling in her stomach. She hated feeling so sick, so useless around her. She hated how much everything hurt, how nothing seemed to work.

Still slumped against the banister, she did her best to hug her arms closer, and to stifle her hiccups. She wasn't sure why she was surprised Diana had stuck around. She knew it was just a memory, and that this memory was infected with the Cupid Bee, but nonetheless…

Something about the security of it, the assurance that this Diana loved her, hopelessly and unconditionally, made it all the easier.

Diana, who had only made gentle reassuring noises this entire time, was the one to finally break the silence. "I…I can't do anything to bring you home, Akko."

"I know." She sniffed. "T-there's no Ley Lines over there, a-and even if there _was_ , I can't even…"

She didn't even want to say the word right now.

"May I ask you something, Akko?" Diana said. "Why are you so focused on your failures?"

Akko's brows furrowed. She wasn't sure. Wasn't sure why she did, why she _shouldn't_ , or why the question bothered her at all.

When she looked up, Diana explained. "It hasn't always been as easy as you'd like it to be. But you've accomplished more than a lot. More than many can claim to. Aren't you proud of that?"

"I am…" Akko said. "...I think."

"Why do you answer it like that? I've seen you so confident, so utterly sure of your own strengths. And I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but you've impressed even me on more than one occasion."

Akko let out a dry chuckle. "You know, you actually told me that before…"

Diana blinked. "Have I?"

Akko didn't bother to explain what she meant. "But back then, I just…knew. I knew I had the Shiny Rod, and I knew I was gonna be as great as Shiny Chariot one day. But now the Shiny Rod is gone, and Chariot…she's probably the nicest person I ever met, but she's…just a person now. She makes mistakes, just like me. She didn't… _used_ to be like that."

"Be that as it may…you still accomplished all of that, haven't you? Perhaps you may not have the Rod anymore, but that doesn't change what you've accomplished, does it?"

Akko, shakily, pushed herself upwards from the banister. "No…I…guess it doesn't…"

"Perhaps you _are_ struggling now, but was the Shiny Rod the only reason you ever succeeded?"

When Akko finally found the strength to look to Diana's eyes once more, she was greeted with a light smile spread across the Cavendish girl's cheeks.

"I don't believe you needed me to tell you any of this, Akko." She told her. "You already decided who you were meant to be once. And you found a way to believe in that dream once. Why should these dreams be different?"

"Diana…"

Maybe it _was_ just the Cupid Bee speaking. Maybe it was Akko's own mind filling in the blanks. But at the moment, it didn't seem to matter.

Diana smiled, soft, sweetly, and unapologetically full of adoration. The gentle upturning of her lips and the tender gaze in her lidded eyes took the weight boring down in Akko's chest and lifted it away ever so slightly.

Because she knew, Diana loved her.

No matter how badly she was handling this, no matter how homesick and exhausted she was, the Diana of this memory loved her anyways, and always would. Diana loved her.

Diana could only let out a gasp when Akko wrapped her arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. Akko knew it was still going to be quite a few months until Diana was comfortable with physical contact, but she was too grateful not to.

"Thank you, Diana…" She mumbled into her shoulder.

"Y-yes." She said, with two taps on Akko's back. "Well. Anytime I may be of some assistance to you, I suppose."

Akko didn't fully pull away from the hug, still keeping her hands on the taller girl's shoulders. Diana glanced at her hands, and managed a small smile.

"You _do_ seem to be in better spirits now, aren't you?"

Akko was barely listening. She was too focused on how long it had been since she had been able to talk to Diana without having to worry about something. Without it having to be _about_ something.

She had missed it, more than she had been willing to admit. And she didn't know how long it would be until she could get back to this place in the real world.

Diana froze, completely unsure of how to react at first, but gradually her hand drifted upwards to the nape of Akko's neck, and Akko took it as a sign to deepen the kiss.

And when Akko pulled away, a small smile finally found its way to her cheeks.

Diana's own cheeks, however, were flushed completely scarlet. As soon as Akko pulled away, Diana fluttered backwards and caught herself on the banister, her other hand over her heart. From the wide-eyed expression, it was evident the already lovesick Cavendish had virtually short-circuited.

"A-Akko…" Diana said breathlessly. "I…that was so…unexpected…"

Akko bashfully scratched the back of her head. "Oh, heh, sorry. I guess I kinda forgot we're not…a thing yet. That doesn't happen for about a year. I didn't mean to…"

"I…" Diana gasped. "…I'm not truly _opposed_ to performing such…intimate actions, but…I did not believe you to be quite so forward. It's…not unwelcome, it's merely so…my _goodness._ "

Diana hadn't even reacted like this to their _actual_ first kiss. Despite herself, Akko felt a tinge of pride, and just slightly more amusement.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you like that."

"What?" Diana quickly straightened herself out. "No! N-no, I'm not…embarrassed. I'm merely…somewhat surprised, that's all. Though, if nothing else, I, ah, believe some preamble would be appreciated, should you ever wish to perform such things again."

Akko's smile began to spread wider. "…You still get really formal, huh?"

"N-no." Diana said, after loudly clearing her throat. "What do you mean formal? I'm sure I haven't the faintest idea what you mean. Is this not how I always speak? Surely, I've always practiced proper diction."

Feeling fuller than she had in days, Akko leaned back against the banister, more upright than she had been before. "Heh, you know this vision or whatever it's supposed to be has actually been kinda nice! Usually by now something horrible happens or-"

"Akko!"

A man's voice called out to her, and Andrew Hanbridge ran out onto the balcony.

"Oh, right. I kinda forgot he got stung too."

"Akko, wait!" Andrew offered her his hand. "I've finally found you again, my love! Please, give me a chance to tell you my true feelings! My heart _yearns_ for yours!"

She knew for a fact Andrew was going to be really embarrassed about this by the time the Noir Rod launched. She actually felt a little embarrassed _for_ him.

"Ahaha, this is…" Akko scratched the back of her head. "Well, this is a bit awkward, but I…"

Diana stepped in front of her before she could say another word, and scoffed at the blushing boy. "Tch. As if I would let you besmirch her honor. I know your family's dismissive views on witchcraft. You don't deserve someone such as her!"

Andrew glared. "And the failing house of Cavendish does? Someone as wonderful as Akko should be treated like a princess, not disgraced with your family's petty squabbles!"

"How dare you!" Diana gasped, scandalized. "Akko, don't listen to this foolish boy! He doesn't know what he's talking about!"

"Guys…" Akko felt the heat rise up her cheeks.

" _She's_ the one who doesn't know what she's talking about! Akko, my heartsweet, run away with me. You've shown me Luna Nova, now let me show you _my_ world!"

Akko took one look at Diana, and then another one at Andrew. Her lips quivered. Her knees shook. Until finally…

She snorted. And a loud, unabashed laugh escaped her throat. She almost doubled over, clutching her stomach. Andrew and Diana went right back to a petty, lovesick argument, which Akko couldn't even catch most of, beyond excessively long worded digs and antiquated insults.

She really had no idea why _this_ dream turned out so much nicer than the others. Maybe she simply stumbled into a happy accident for once. She still didn't know how no one could tell her anything about this spirit that was plaguing her. The truth was, she still didn't know how she was going to fix this at all.

But she looked upwards to the stars, almost instinctually spotting the Big Dipper hanging in the night sky, and she reached upwards, imagining she could grab it.

* * *

And Akko awoke to found herself back in bed, now only reaching up to touch the bottom of Jasminka's bunk.

"You're awake?" Constanze's Stanbot called out from the opposite bed. "Are you functioning normally again?"

Akko swung her legs over the side of the bed with a small smile. "No. Probably not."

"You were asleep for almost an hour and a half." Jasminka told her. "Did your nap help you feel better?"

"Yeah. I think it did. Thanks for everything, you guys."

Jasminka and Constanze could only exchange another look as Akko strode from the room.

She didn't have the answers, and she wasn't exactly sure she even understood the clues. But she wasn't going to just sit by and react to whatever this spirit threw at her, night after night. The next time the dream came, she wasn't going to run, and she wasn't going to fight.

The next time she fell asleep, she was going to _succeed_.

* * *

 _A.N. Next time, "Breaking the Dragon's Pact" We're finally gonna catch back up with Diana, Amanda, and Hannah, and see what Croix has been up to! To say nothing of what all this means for Akko herself and whatever dream she has next!_


	8. Breaking the Dragon's Pact

They came to the Tower in the late hours of the evening, when the sun was at its lowest and its last golden lights began to drain away from the quiet grounds of Luna Nova.

From above, a flurry of leathery wings and screeching bodies, undetected by all but a few students, invaded the uppermost sanctum of the Tower. At the behest of their master, the dragons had come to take what they believed what rightfully his.

The dragons had taken possession of the Sorcerer's Stone, an unprecedented and completely unexpected act.

It was all going exactly as she had remembered it.

She really hadn't wanted to fall asleep again, to enter yet another dream, but she already knew staving it off was a losing game. She had more questions than answers, and even after what had happened with Diana, when she felt herself drifting off, she couldn't ignore the twinges of fear in the recesses of her mind.

But watching Fafnir's drones cart the Stone away, she tried to find strength in the words Diana had said to her. She took a deep breath, and tried to keep herself from shuddering. With a quick exhale, she planted her feet, and fixed her gaze on the Stone's glimmering green light as it was carted off through the sky.

' _You messed up a lot…'_ Akko thought to herself. '… _but somehow, you got through this whole thing once. And somehow, you made it even farther.'_

She turned her gaze back to the grounds of Luna Nova, and tried to find strength in the resolve she had created after the last dream. But most of all, her mind raced to try and remember every detail of this encounter, and determine what it all meant for her then, and what it all would mean for her now.

' _Time to find out why_.'

* * *

Seeing the goal the three of them had come to this country for being carried away in someone else's clutches, Diana quickly snapped herself out of whatever shocked state she had been in.

Coming face to face with Croix on the streets of the East Mogiana Republic, half a year after the last time they had seen each other, had not been a surprise she was prepared for. And as a result, she had accidentally let the woman walk off from the flower shop unimpeded with the Sapņu Degviela tucked underneath her arm.

With only the quickest explanation to Hannah and Amanda to follow her, Diana was hot on Croix's heels.

For one thing, she was getting that flower. She didn't come all this way to go back to Akko empty handed.

And for another, her own instincts told her she couldn't just leave any sort of magical artifact in the dubious care of this woman, not without at least knowing why. On some deeper level, Diana knew that Croix was someone who could be relied on to do the right thing in the worst of times. But that didn't mean she trusted her character or her intentions.

And without a nuclear warhead boring down at them from the sky, Diana saw no reason to trust Croix in the here and now. Especially when Croix was wasting no time with pleasantries. As soon as she had the Sapņu Degviela in hand, Croix had averted her eyes and hastily made her exit into downtown.

Diana overtook her on the sidewalk and stopped her cold. "What are you doing here?"

Croix let out a small huff, her eyes lingering more on the road ahead of her than the girl in front of her. "What are _you_ doing here? Shouldn't you be in school right now? I thought only a few classes were over."

Diana crossed her arms, keeping her expression carefully neutral, a courtesy Croix did not readily return. "Most are. We, that is, my schoolmates and I, are running an errand here. What's your business here?"

"Shopping." She said matter-of-factly.

"Collecting Sapņu Degviela samples for any particular reason?"

"Actually yes, I am." In a sardonic show of casualness, Croix fluttered her lashes and gestured to her heart. Diana could see the tracking bracelet securely locked around her wrist. "Figured since I got some time away, I might be able to enjoy it. In _peace_." The feigned smile had since turned into a scowl. " _Without_ another surprise interrogation session."

With a deliberately wide step to the side, Croix walked decidedly around Diana with a small shake of her head.

"And, just in case you ask, yes." Croix continued. "I bought this, legally, with my own money, which is 100% legitimate money. And no, I'm not planning to build any _eeeevil_ weapons or _dastardly_ traps with it. So if you'll just let me get out of your hair…!"

Hannah gingerly tapped Diana's shoulder before she could do anything else, such as keep after the former professor. "Hey…um. No offense, Diana but…? I mean, that was surprisingly…aggressive of you?"

"You only experienced most of what happened last year second-hand." Diana said, not letting Croix out of her sight. "I don't plan to let any of that happen once more."

"Didn't she help you guys in the end?"

"To clean up the mess she created, yes."

Perhaps it _was_ aggressive, but Diana took her past failures to heart. She had made many mistakes last year, and her heart wouldn't be at rest until she could find a way to repay her debts. And as she watched Croix adjust it under her arm, she reminded herself there was still the fact she needed the Sapņu Degviela for the surprise party.

The _last_ thing she wanted was to give up something that would make Akko happy, to someone who had gone out of her way to hurt her.

But before she could say anymore, another woman walked decidedly up to Croix, her nose buried in a tourist map as she brushed back a lock of red hair.

"Well, Croix, I looked around, but I don't know if there's any Italian places around here that you'd really like. Maybe for dinner we should-"

"Professor Ursula?"

Ursula looked up from the map, and looked at Diana. Then she looked at Amanda. And then she looked at Hannah.

And then her cheeks flushed.

"G-girls?! What are you doing here?!"

* * *

As Akko saw it, when everything else she had tried had fallen flat, there was only one reason she was still here.

In this corrupted world she kept finding herself in, everything was the exact same…except for whatever elements she used to succeed the first time around. Her friends corrupted, her Shiny Rod gone, she was nothing but a helpless girl with nothing left to her name.

Once again, history repeated, and the Red and Green Teams had gotten stuck on laundry duty together, grumbling and reacting to the fact that the Sorcerer's Stone had been repossessed.

So far, everything remained the same, but she knew it was only a matter of time before this curse flipped the script on her and everything fell apart. If she couldn't go along the script, and she couldn't fight against the script, there was only one idea left.

Go around the script. Break it. Find a _new_ way to succeed.

And the advantage of reliving this night was she already knew the twist.

Her plan had been to sneak off from detention, figuring that going this alone meant there was less chance of some heartbreaking corruption happening. But she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised that they'd catch her trying to slink off from the Laundry Room.

And she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised they didn't readily believe her when she gave them an explanation.

Lotte narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Um…y-you're not…making much sense here, Akko."

"Okay, lemme say it again…" Akko sighed. "The dragons belong to a big guy named Fafnir. The reason the dragons took the Stone is because they're trying to repossess it. Fafnir thinks Luna Nova owes them money, but we don't!"

"And…how do _you_ know that?"

"There's a note somewhere here in Luna Nova! I'm not… _totally_ sure where, but I do know that if we find it, it says we don't actually have to pay him interest, and that proves that we're allowed to take the Stone back from him!"

"But wouldn't the professors have said something to Fafnir then?" Jasminka asked.

"They don't know. They can't read Dragon."

Sucy's face contorted. "Wait, and since when can _you_ read Dragon?"

Amanda scoffed. "And not a single _one_ of these professors are even able to read this note they all agreed to? That sounds ridiculously contrived, don't you think?"

Akko shook her head. "No, I can't read it either. Well I _used_ to _,_ once, but that was because of a dragon fang potion."

"If you can't read Dragon, and you don't even know where this note is, then how do you even know what it says?"

"Oh, I just remember what it says."

Lotte, Sucy, and all three members of the Green Team stared blankly at her, with varying levels of bafflement written plainly across their faces. Lotte was the first to voice the collective thought shared by all of them.

"Akko, no offense but…what?"

Akko wrung her hands through her hair. "Look, I know this doesn't make sense, but right now Diana is out there and I gotta find the note before her, get it to Fafnir, get the Stone back and…" She bit her lip. "…ssssomething will happen I dunno. But it's the only idea I got left! You gotta believe me here, guys!"

Lotte could only give a small helpless look. "…Maybe it's better if we just…let this one be, okay?"

"But..." Akko shook her head. "Come on, guys. We could totally save the day here."

"If it even works." Sucy shrugged. "Not that your plans have ever had much success in the 'working' department. You should just-"

"Fine!" Akko pinched her eyes shut, feeling another wave coming on. She had been afraid that somehow this discussion could turn into another fest of insults, but she wasn't going to just let it happen this time. "I'll just find the note on my own!"

Akko stormed out of the Laundry Room. Jasminka called out for her to stop, and Constanze even pulled herself away from her machine to go after her. But Akko didn't dare risk a look back.

If they couldn't understand the explanation, then fine. This time, she was sure of it. If she could find the note, she could change the ending to this story. This time, she was going to give the story the happy ending it deserved.

* * *

Diana only gave a very brief and under detailed explanation of why it was the three of them were in East Mogiana, still not taking her eyes off Croix as she did so.

Croix grew increasingly agitated at the eyes on her. If Diana started to feel bad about it, she just remembered last year and that usually fixed it.

Ursula pursed her lips after she finished. "Well, that's quite a coincidence. You came all the way here to search for the exact same flower?"

Diana nodded curtly. "This country is supposed to be one of the only places where you can get it. At least, in a timely matter."

"Well…I'm not sure where to help you find another one. I've only been in this country for a few days now. Oh! Girls, I'm…sure you all remember Croix, right?"

Diana narrowed her eyes. "We're previously acquainted."

Croix just scoffed. "Well, keep in mind. _I_ was just minding my own business in here. You're the ones who came up to me, _after_ I tried getting out of your hair."

Ursula waved her hands, forcing out a laugh. "P-please, let's all get along! It's been so long since we all saw each other, isn't it? We don't need to start off this reunion with any problems."

"No." Diana agreed. "We don't."

Croix rolled her eyes. "Right. Well if _that's_ the case…"

Ursula laughed a little louder. "Oh, you two! Always kidding! W-we're all a team here! Nine New Witches, right?"

Croix's face contorted at that. As did Diana's own.

In fact, in a list of things the both of them had wanted to hear right now, the words Nine New Witches ranked quite low.

Diana crossed her arms tighter. "What are you doing here, Professor Ursula?"

Ursula blanched. "What am I…?" She cleared her throat. "W-well, I was just…you know how Croix and I go back, so I just thought I'd spend a few sick days and pop over for…a friendly visit!"

"I believe I recall hearing about some of your history."

After that comment, Amanda awkwardly tapped Diana's shoulder. "Uh, yo." She whispered. "What exactly are you trying to start here…?"

"Look kid." Croix said. "I don't exactly blame you for not trusting me, but I'm not doing anything right now. I'm not trying to bother you, or Akko, or Amanda and…"

"…Hannah." The girl introduced herself.

"Hey Hannah." Croix waved. "The point is, you clearly don't want me around, and I'm _trying_ not to stick around. Cut me some slack here."

Diana let the slightest bit of tension out. She could concede she was overreacting. "My mistake then." She said. "It's been a long morning. I'm not in the best mood."

"I get it." Croix said. "No problem."

"Hm."

And yet, the tension between the two was still sharp enough to cut bricks. Even Hannah and Amanda were looking at the both of them sideways. Ursula's smile was wide, despite the sweat pouring down her temples.

"S-so!" The professor began. "What exactly were you all looking for the same flower for? Are you…running some herbology experiments, o-or…decorating? Or running herbology experiments?"

Amanda raised a hand. "It was gonna be a present, I think."

"Ah, that's right!" Ursula smiled. "Croix, I told you it was Akko's birthday soon, didn't I?"

Croix's expression, to Diana's surprise, turned somewhat…sad. "Yeah. You mentioned it." She nodded. "What…exactly did the kid want with this flower."

"She doesn't know about it, but it was going to be for a potion." Hannah said. "We…well, I guess they…figured it would be one of the best presents we could give her."

Ursula squinted. "A potion to do…what?"

Diana gave Ursula a significant look. After a moment, realization dawned on Ursula's face. And once Croix realized the implication, her expression darkened even more.

"…Oh." Her voice was small. "Would…would it actually…?"

"The effects would only be temporary, maybe a few days at most, depending on how potent we can safely make it, but…we believed that if it didn't at least help her get a feel for it until she learns it on her own, she could at least enjoy it while it lasts."

Ursula let out a pensive breath, mentally laying out the options. She timidly rubbed her arm and turned to Croix.

"Croix…maybe we should consider-?"

"No. Chari, you can't be serious." Croix pinched the bridge of her nose. "Do you know how long it took me to even get here?"

"I know, I know." Ursula said consolingly. "I made a promise to help you as much as I can with this, but…I also made a promise to help her too. I just…"

Croix let out an angry groan. "Yeah well, I'm _already_ breaking my promise here. I promised you I wouldn't see you again until I had a cure, but you insisted on coming down instead of just sending a blood sample, and now you want me to just…give up on all the progress we made?"

Diana's brows furrowed.

Progress?

She had almost forgotten about…

Ursula shook her head. "I'm not saying _give up_ , I'm saying…well, it's only fair to the poor girl, isn't it? I can wait another year."

"I can't!" Croix argued. "I'm this close to finding the next step to this cure. The effects the Sapņu Degviela has on the body's flow of magic could be the key I've been missing ever since last year. I can't…I can't wait another summer for this!"

"Why not? How many times have I told you that I forgive you for what happened?"

"No. Chariot, it's not just that! I can't just keep letting-!"

Croix suddenly stopped, and cringed. She slinked decidedly away from Ursula, and guilt stabbed at Diana's heart. She had been so focused on what this woman had done to Akko, she hadn't even stopped to remember what had happened with her former friend.

Croix let out her breath, and hung her head low. "…I just…don't wanna let you down again, alright?" She said, with an empty chuckle. "I'm not even allowed to carry a wand anymore. I need this."

Finally, it became clear to Diana. Far longer than it should've taken. The proud, vindictive Professor Croix she faced last year was gone. Time too had changed her. And in some ways, it had broken her. What was before her was a woman, confronted with her own failures and trying to react in the only way she knew how.

And suddenly this was all hitting much too close to home.

"…She has a point, Professor Ursula." Diana quickly said. "If it's for your condition, then you need it more than we do."

Amanda stood up and looked at her sideways. "Eh? But…we came all the way out here, didn't we? We're just gonna…?"

"Yes. It was a mistake of us to come here in the first place. Of mine."

"…Lame." She turned to Hannah. "Maybe we can find something better to do once we get back."

Diana turned to Croix, biting her lip. "I…apologize for doubting your intentions. I'm sorry. I…shouldn't have assumed."

Croix snorted. "…Yeah." She said flatly. "Don't worry about it. Who could blame you?"

"I wish you luck in your research."

"Thanks. I'll probably need it."

And now Diana felt even worse.

Before she could get to far away, Ursula walked over to speak with her more privately. "Diana…I know it's difficult. Believe me, I know. But Croix really is trying to turn over a new leaf. I know you don't like her, but you should at least give her the chance."Diana scowled. "As I recall, _you_ were the one who swore to mentor Akko, and you were the one who took it upon yourself to protect her. And I don't believe you need _me_ to point out how close that woman came to hurting her."

Ursula let out a long, sad sigh. And Diana realized that this was far from the first time the professor had been through this discussion. Just the first time she had it with a third party.

"…People change, Diana." Ursula said. "Croix…she hit a bad point in her life, and I won't deny what she did was wrong. But right now, she's trying. And she's hurting already. Is it really fair to fault someone for trying to be a better person?"

There really was no argument Diana could give that wasn't loaded with hypocrisy. The truth of the matter was, more and more, Diana saw herself, and especially the person she once was, somewhere in the former professor.

And somehow, the reminder hurt more than the fact that she had come all this way for nothing.

Diana crossed her arms and turned on her heels. "I apologize for disturbing your day, professor. And tell Croix I really do wish her the best of luck in the future."

"Well, tell Akko we wished her a happy birthday when you get back, okay?"

"…Of course."

And without another look back, Diana bit back a sigh, and she, Hannah, and Amanda began the long trek back to Luna Nova. And she tried not to remark how much of a waste of time this all had been.

She could've stayed at home, and spent more time face to face with Akko, and now she didn't even have anything to show for her absence. Without even doing anything, she couldn't shake the feeling she had let her down.

Amanda and Hannah silently trailed behind her, and after a moment, the former folder her arms behind her head and blew up her bangs. "Well, _that_ was a bit awkward."

"Not now, O'Neill."

"I'm just saying." Amanda shrugged. "With how soft you've gotten lately, I kinda forget how much of an ice princess you can be."

Diana had no desire to dignify that with a response.

"Hey, c'mon." Amanda elbowed her. "So you didn't get to get Akko another present, big deal. What, you think she's gonna be pissed at you for not doing enough or something?"

A flash of irritation coursed through Diana. "Of course she wouldn't. She's not like that."

Amanda, however, simply grinned. "So what are you still brooding about then? You got her a whole _party_ planned out. I'm sure she's gonna be happy with just that by itself."

"I am _not_ doubting Akko's integrity." Diana snapped. "And I would thank you not to imply otherwise. I'm not out here doing this to prove something about myself or because I fear her judgement or any such nonsense."

"So then, why are we here, in some backwater Euro country, looking for magic flowers and picking fights? Even for you, this is _way_ out of the way."

Diana turned back over her shoulder, looking past Amanda and Hannah. "…because clearly, I still have a habit of misjudging people that I have yet to address…"

With a small shake of her head, Diana forced herself forward and down the road. Hannah and Amanda shared a look.

Amanda cocked her head. "…what's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"I'm not…super sure anymore actually." Hannah shrugged, before quickening her pace to match Diana's own. "Diana, do you…like…need us to _do_ anything, or…?"

"No." Diana didn't look back. "But thank you. I was out of line today. I merely need to reflect on that. That is all."

"You really _aren't_ letting her down, you know." Hannah said. "At least, I don't…think you are. Like you said, you know Akko better than me, and probably better than anyone! So if you already know that she…cares about you, then you're probably right! Right?"

Diana could only manage a small hum before she found herself lost in her thoughts. There were a lot of reasons why she was down here. But there was only one that truly mattered.

For a decade of her life, Diana was alone. She had nothing, so she convinced herself she needed nothing.

Being proven wrong was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Akko was her rock. No matter how trying things got, no matter how difficult it could get some days to get out of bed and do whatever it was everyone seemed to need her specifically to do for them, Akko was always still there. Still brimming with confidence and energy, still so sure in what her heart told her and what her friends meant to her. Always loyal, occasionally sweetly misguided.

"…Tell me, something you two." She said. "Were it not for Akko, would the three of us know each other well enough to even have this discussion?"

Hannah furrowed her brow. "What do you mean by that?"

"I don't believe she's the only reason we all may have become friends, but I _do_ know she's the one who brought us all together in the first place. Our three teams, Ursula…everyone else. Look at the impact she's made on all of our lives. I missed that, when we first met. It took me so long to realize just how special that girl really is."

Hannah chanced a small glance in Amanda's direction. One she quickly averted when the other witch looked back.

The tension between the three of them grew heavier and heavier, and Amanda couldn't keep up her attitude even if she tried. "You really do love her, huh?"

"…of course I love Akko." Diana said. "After everything we've been through, everything we've seen and done together, how could I not? I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about her."

"Well, you told her all that, didn't you?"

Diana thought back to that day before she could stop herself. "...I…believe she understood the general gist of it, at least."

Amanda chuckled. "Did you get all flustered and muck it all up?"

Hannah groaned in her stead. "Amanda…"

"What? I'm just asking!"

"But it's not just about telling her that." Diana shook her head. "It's about paying her back. Repaying a debt. _That's_ why we're going so out of our way. And this surprise party…it's one of the only ways I can think of to let her know. I wanted it…to be the most perfect day I could create. And I don't…know if I can manage what she deserves."

"Why look at it like that?" Amanda asked. "If you're gonna get _that_ bent out of shape about it, we'll find some other way to let her know how extra you are."

"I…think I agree!" Hannah said. "You sorta helped _me_ say a bunch of things I don't think I ever would've said. I'll do my best to help you out here!"

Diana allowed herself a small smile at the comradery. She still felt like berating herself for getting so protective to the point where she failed to do what she set out to do, but…it seems once again she had lost herself in her mistakes.

That was the kind of reminder she tended to need more of. She still had a goal to work towards. And she had told Akko all of this, if not in so many words. But she wanted to make it clear, clear than it ever had been, especially with the way they had started out together.

The truth was, the one thing she truly wanted to say was that she wanted to be someone Akko could depend upon in return.

* * *

Akko felt herself start to waver again. She had heard Jasminka and Constanze following her up the stairs, but she had been afraid to look back. Afraid to let the spirit take another swipe at her through her friend's mouths.

And with that fear mixed with other emotions. Guilt. Loneliness. She didn't want to keep feeling like she was betraying her friends' trust. Especially when she was scared the spirit was right.

She really didn't know if she _could_ do this alone. And she wasn't sure who could help her when she woke up from _this_ nightmare. So as she snuck through the halls of Luna Nova after dark, looking for the promissory note, she did her best to stick the shadows and away from everyone else.

But just because she couldn't depend on just her own drive, that didn't mean she was going to let herself to fall to her emotions again. If her drive wasn't strong enough, then she would keep finding strength elsewhere.

And so, she focused on Diana's words.

She kept failing in these dreams because she didn't have the Shiny Rod, but that couldn't be the only reason she got this far. She kept making mistakes, but even with that long list, she had made it to where she was now. And even with the way these dreams kept treating them, she had friends who cared about her. And a girl who, despite everything, loved her. And she was going to prove to this curse exactly why.

…Once she figured it out herself, of course.

She quickly ducked behind a corner once she heard the door to the Nine Olde Witches Hall open. Badcock held her forehead. "What to do, what to do…where are we going to come up with the rest of Fafnir's money…?"

"Perhaps we could have Miss Cavendish look at the note. She's such a bright young girl, maybe she'll have an idea or two!"

Was _that_ how Diana had known about the note the first time around? Akko never bothered to ask because she never bothered to think back to this day. But if nothing else, her hunch was right. The note was in the Headmistress's office.

Akko pressed her ear to the door. No one was inside. Trying the handle though, it was locked.

There _had_ to be a way to get in. She couldn't just run to Fafnir's domain and make an idiot of herself again. That hadn't even worked the first time around, and for all she knew, it would be corrupted until it turned out the dragon actually _did_ eat humans.

She sighed. ' _So close…yet so far…_ '

She wanted to believe the Cupid Bee Diana was right. But what could she do now to get into the office and force this memory into a better ending? What was different about her now then was different back then?

Her finger brushed against the door's keyhole. And then her eyes widened in realization. There was _one_ spell she had gotten quite good at, one she hadn't even really known about the first time around. Not to mention, a certain technique she herself came up with.

Akko reached for her wand, eyed the keyhole, and grinned.

* * *

 _A.N. Don't worry, we'll see more of Croix and Ursula again. But this chapter already ended up longer than it had been in my notes. So…_

 _Next Time, "Fall of Night" While everyone else finds their own ways to deal with their past failures, Akko finds a way to deal with her own! But this time, she's going to take the events of this episode by storm!_


	9. Fall of Night

With Professors Finnelan and Badcock currently absent, all was quiet in the Nine Olde Witches Hall.

It was a silence that could only be broken by a wet sound, one best described as a "schlorp", as a moist, pink, gelatinous mass pressed through the office's keyhole.

With some wriggling and writhing, the jellyfish successfully broke into the office and transformed itself back into one Akko Kagari.

' _Ah, that still feels weird…_ ' She thought to herself, rubbing her head.

Even in the dark, she was intimately familiar with the space in front of the Headmistress's desk in the office, though at this point in time it was probably too early for her shoe size to be engrooved into the floor.

She didn't let the thought deter her. She wasn't going to let this adventure end with her in trouble. And she wasn't going to let this end in another nightmare.

And to her satisfaction, her goal was sitting right there on the desk, just where she had hoped it would be. The promissory note that cleared their debt, signed by Fafnir himself.

She snatched it from the table with a vindicated smile, and strolled back into the hall with but a turn of the lock, feeling more than a little satisfied with herself.

So far, this dream and the one before hadn't actually been horrible at all. Maybe she really _had_ stumbled into a happy accident for once. Usually by this time in anything, she would've run into something-

" _Miss Kagari!_ "

Akko froze.

Ever so slowly, she turned around, to be greeted with the scowling face of Professor Finnelan. From the dangerous glint in her eye, it was clear Akko's stunt had not gone unnoticed.

"Just what precisely do you think you're doing in here?!"

"Ahahaaaa…" Akko hid the note behind her back, now acutely aware of how incriminating this all appeared. "This…is not what it looks like."

Finnelan narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Is it not? Because it _looks like_ you broke into the Headmistress's office and are attempting to take something that does belong to you."

"W-well…um…" She tried not to fidget. "Actually, wait! I'm here to help you guys! I know what this note says! I can read it!"

(Technically she could not, but full disclosure would not help her case right now.)

"Miss Kagari, you may still be new to this academy, but I assure you, I was not born yesterday. Given your test scores when it comes to the language of _crow_ familiars, something as complex as Dragonese hardly seems within your repertoire."

What a discouraging attitude for a professor to have.

"I…I mean…I'm not bad when it comes to language. I'm actually sorta trilingual. Plus I picked up a little crow … and some French…trying to go for some Finnish…"

Finnelan was uninterested in excuses. "Even if that _is_ the case, you still broke into a place as sacred as this and stole from the Headmistress like a common thief! How in the world could you possibly think this kind of behavior was befitting of a witch? _What_ do you have to say for yourself?"

Akko thought over her next words very carefully.

"…Toru Rirurara."

The spell shot forth from Akko's wand and erupted in a wave of dizzying sparks over the professor's head. Finnelan wobbled on her feet, before she flopped face first into the ground, fast asleep.

Akko secured the scroll under her arm, tip-toed over the Professor's unconscious form, and darted from the hall. This was probably the first time she was glad this wasn't the real world.

And without the threat of a later lecture or expulsion, doing that was… _disgustingly_ satisfying.

Badcock was probably still fetching Diana, and it was late enough that everyone else was probably in bed, which should mean there was nothing left to stop her from getting out of here. The next step then was to get to the Rastavan Ruins, get into Fafnir's lair, save the day, save the dream, and hope against hope that this would somehow curb the spirit in some way.

She glanced at the scroll tucked underneath her arm. ' _How am I even gotta get there? We flew the first time. Even I could_ get _a broom, I still can't…_ '

She shook the thoughts from her head.

' _I'll run if I have to. There's just gotta be a way to give this dream a happy ending!_ '

She wasn't in the mood for a refresher on her broom skills at the moment anyway. As she jumped the locked gate at the academy's entrance, she realized she had a _long_ trek ahead of her to get to the Ruins. She steeled herself, and tried not to admit her disappointment.

She also had no idea _how_ she was going to convince Fafnir all this was legit. She hadn't even been able to convince her own friends.

Did they even count as her friends, in these corrupted memories…?

Regardless, Diana had convinced Fafnir once, and she had been duly rewarded for it. Even if Akko couldn't do it herself, she could always just copy what Diana did, and hope for the same result.

It only took a few minutes of brisk jogging for her to find herself within the inky black depths of the woods, the scraggly trees smothering all but a few beams of moonlight. She hadn't recalled the woods being this dark, at least not this close to the school.

Her thoughts were broken by the sounds of the branches snapping from above. She looked over just in time to see the leathery face of one Fafnir's dragon minions screaming through the air towards her.

She barely had enough time to duck as its snout clipped at her hair.

From the dark canopy of the leaves, several more of the mechanical beasts spread their wings and screeched out a harsh warning to the intruder. The one airborne dragon swooped around above the tree line to make another pass, spreading its claws.

Akko wasted no time in taking aim with her wand. "Metamorphie Faciesse!"

And in a puff of smoke, the mechanical drone was reduced to a simple stuffed teddy bear. From the series of screeches and caws filling the air, she knew she didn't have time to revel in her victory. She stuffed the scroll into her belt, and scanned the night sky for a sign of the next attack.

' _But it took us forever to get to Rastavan the first time, and I'm on foot! How did I get here so-?_ '

She turned around just in time to hit yet another dragon drone with a quick spell. She had done her fair share of monster fighting she did behind the Sealed Door of the Horologium Room, but whatever advantage she might've had was undone by how tired and unsure she was.

A sudden weight slammed into her back, knocking not only the wand from her grip, but the precious scroll as well. She made a grab for it, but quickly retracted her hand as yet another drone scratched at her.

There were simply too many. After this last week, she was _not_ ready for a surprise attack. She couldn't beat all of them on her own. Surrounded, she could only watch helplessly as one of the beasts dived towards the scroll laying unprotected on the dirt.

Then the shot came from out of nowhere. A bullet of magical energy blasted itself straight through the dragon's head, and the machine exploded in a burst of sparks.

There, on the horizon, were Constanze and Jasminka, racing to her rescue on a broom. Constanze was holding a smoking rifle, and Jasminka was holding the smaller girl on her shoulder. And just behind them were Sucy and the others.

The cavalry was able to cut down the dragon's numbers to next to nothing with only a few incantations. Akko was saved.

"You guys!" She beamed. "You came to help!"

Sucy swooped down to pick the scroll from the ground. "More like to do your job for you."

Akko moved to climb on her broom, only for Sucy to jerk it away, with a dark look on her face.

"I wasn't kidding this time." Sucy sneered at her. "How are you supposed to make it all the way to Rastavan? You couldn't even handle this. We got enough to worry about without having to carry dead weight."

Jasminka nodded, and flew up closer to speak down at her. "Don't take it the wrong way, Akko. But if the whole school is at stake, maybe it's better if you stay behind? If you can't even ride a broom...well, I'm not sure how much help you'll really be…"

"Akko's skills are inefficient!" Constanze's Stanbot agreed. "She will only slow us down!"

Her heart sank.

"But…but guys…?"

"Maybe if you keep practicing, you might be helpful next time! But…I think this is a job for real witches. And that's not really you."

Jasminka offered another soft smile, and without another word, all her friends, took to the sky to do what she could not.

Akko was left alone in the dust, only able to stare despondently at the sky in their wake.

And all that frustration, everything she thought she had vented away, came back all at once. She clutched at her hair and pinched her eyes shut, and a week, a month, a _lifetime's_ worth of pent up conflict escaped her throat as an angry, baseless, scream.

She had been so sure. So sure she was doing the right thing, and she still couldn't win. She simply wasn't allowed to win, no matter how hard she tried.

She couldn't do this on her own. She just wanted to know what to do, who to turn to, who could fix her at this point. Because she was trapped.

Her happy ending was forever beyond her reach.

A light flashed across her eyes.

She blinked it away, too focused on her own anger. But the light continued to glimmer, calling to her. And strangely, she felt a pull in her heart, the kind one might feel seeing a long-forgotten friend once again.

She looked up to the stars, where the Big Dipper was hanging brilliantly in the sky.

She knew this constellation. This was her star sign, the one she shared with Chariot. The one that contained the power of the Shiny Rod.

The power of the Shiny Rod had carried her before. Maybe if she could get it back, be the Chosen one again, she could finally find the worth to escape. Maybe Diana had been wrong.

She reached up towards the sky, and she swore she could feel it. Just like she had in the dream with Daryl. It was there, _somewhere_ , just beyond her grasp. If she could only reach it…

The world jolted underneath her, and she had been too off-balance to correct herself.

She quickly noticed that when she landed, her hands caught herself not on a grassy forest ground, but on a stone floor.

And when she looked up, she found herself face to face with the predatory gaze Arcas.

She jumped back in alarm, and the bear snarled at the sudden movement. She was back at the North Building. A small thought occurred to her, and she reached up to the top of her head. Sure enough, she found herself touching a pair of bunny ears sprouted from the top of her head.

And if this was _that_ memory, then that meant…

Arcas let out an ear-piercing roar, exposing a gaping maw full of sharpened teeth. He raised his paw and the moonlight gleamed off his spread claws.

She made a motion to dart away, only for Arcas to move first. He slammed down his paw, and the and the already shambling building trembled. It was a small miracle the roof hadn't already caved in. When Akko managed to catch her footing, she was dismally met with the fact that the bear's massive body was blocking her only exit.

Arcas wanted nothing better than to sink its jaws around the intruder in its domain.

She could spy a second floor hidden just behind the top of the white fur, but there was no way for her to get to it, not in any way fast enough.

Thinking as quickly as her racing heart would allow, she eyed a broken staircase off to her right. One that was very familiar, now that she saw it again. If she could wait until just the right time, she could use the bear as a stepping stone and leap up and out. Andrew had done it, and if he could do it without a year and a half's worth of running from peril…

Never breaking eye contact from the monstrous beast, she tip-toed over to the staircase. Arcas's vicious stare never faltered, waiting for one move to sudden before it pounced. And once she was close enough?

She gave it one.

She bolted up the staircase and the bear pounced, ready to rear her limb from limb. She reached the top step, waited just a fraction of a second for a closer target, and jumped.

Her feet, just as she had hoped, landed on top of a head full of fur like a stepping stool.

But the bear unexpectantly jerked its head.

Unlike the graceful landing Andrew had once made, Akko was violently flung onto the second floor in a crumbled heap. She tried to climb to her feet, only to wince at a stabbing pain in her leg.

The uneven landing on the rough bricks had skinned her kneecap.

The entire bridge began to rumble, and when she looked over her shoulder, Arcas was attempting to climb up to her level. The pillars holding the bridge up began to crack under his massive girth, and she knew from experience that the structure was going to start collapsing.

Ignoring the stinging in her leg, Akko took to her feet with a small hiss and ran. She tuned out the sound of the four massive paws hunting after her, and the bricks crumbling behind.

The Big Dipper was still ahead of her, glimmering in the night sky. The light began to feel less inspiring and more mocking by the second. Despite the seemingly obvious distance, she could still feel it as though it was right next to her. Just beyond out her outstretched hand.

She needed the Shiny Rod. It was the only thing left she hadn't tried.

"C'mon…" She growled. "Come on!"

The world jolted again, and Akko slipped from the bridge.

She made a grab to catch herself, and her palm scraped against a thick wooden branch. Dangling for her life, she chanced a look down to see the tops of the dead trees of Arcturus Forest, far, far below her.

She knew this night. The night she had climbed Wagandea. She _hated_ this night. Thinking about it was almost as bad as thinking about the night of…

She stopped herself before she could dwell further. She needed focus on getting back up onto the Wagandea Tree. Just as she managed to swing her other arm up to grab the branch, she spotted a strange yellow mist out of the corner of her eye.

The spores were seeping out of the tree.

In her brief moment of panic, her hands slipped.

Her stomach lurched, and she fell.

She could only look helplessly at the rapidly approaching ground. There was nothing to catch herself on. No branches to break her fall. And this time, Professor Ursula wasn't there to catch her and bring her to safety.

She was plummeting to her doom. And there was nothing she could do.

She looked skyward, at the constellation now, and forever, beyond her reach.

The wind rippled across her ears, growing louder, and louder as the ground got closer, and closer. But the only thoughts left in her mind were that of Diana. There was a strange sensation across her left arm.

Diana had said she was more than just the Shiny Rod. Maybe she should've listened, and not chased after stars. Maybe she had proved Diana wrong, and she really couldn't do it without help.

Either way, she had let her down.

She wished she was here. She wished she could somehow escape, and see her again.

She pinched her eyes shut, bracing herself for whatever impact came next.

* * *

And then the world jolted.

Her heart jumped up to her throat, and she found herself coiled in her blankets, kicking and scratching to try to get the sudden coverings off of her. The mattress bounced underneath her, and the old springs creaked wildly, as if to remind her where she actually was.

She wasn't falling. She was in her room.

She wasn't falling.

When her heart slowed enough to catch her breath, she looked up and squinted against the bedroom light to notice someone standing over her at the side of her bed.

"Diana…?"

Diana was holding her arm, having shaken her awake. Behind her, Amanda and Hannah were eyeing the two of them from the doorway. Lotte and Sucy were at their usual places at their desk and bed, calmly watching the exchange unfold.

Lotte let out a nervous chuckle. "Well…I guess that's one way to get someone to stop tossing and turning?"

Sucy nodded with a toothy grin. "As expected of Diana Cavendish." She turned to the doorway. "Isn't that right, henchwoman #1?"

Hannah crossed her arms. "Don't make fun of me…"

The sudden jump of her relative reality, the cavalcade of conflicting emotions coursing through her, and all the various voices speaking so suddenly was enough to make Akko's head reel. The only thing that managed to ground her was the prickling sensation on her kneecap.

She hid her leg before anyone could notice the blood seeping out of it.

All across the room, everyone was looking at her with a friendly face. Even Hannah had shot her a hesitant smile, when Akko looked her way. Sucy's lips were barely upturned, the closest her face got to happy.

Why was everyone in her room?

Diana offered her hand down to her. There was a small smile on her lips, but when everything finally caught up to Akko, the smile was just big enough to cause her heart to skip a beat.

"My apologies." Diana said. "I merely came in to check on you. I didn't mean to wake y-"

" _Diana!_ "

Akko beamed ear to ear. She leapt to her feet and without a single care, wrapped her arms around the other girl.

She needed to feel that this was real.

She reveled in the warmth of her body against her own, the flowery scent of her hair, the rise and fall of her chest beneath Akko's head. The Diana from her memories hadn't enraptured her senses like this.

She breathed it all in, until her mind was finally convinced that _this_ was where she was. Safe, and back in her room. Safe, and with Diana right here with her.

In return, the poor blonde girl could only let out a stunned cry as she suddenly found a messy mop of brown hair pressed up beneath her chin. Diana shot a bashful glance at the room full of knowing grins behind the two of them.

"Akko…" She mumbled. "I was…hardly gone for that long…"

Akko could only squeeze her tighter with a happy giggle.

With the one arm that was not trapped to her side, Diana returned the hug as best as she humanly could. "O-of course I'm terribly pleased to see you as well. As I always am, I assure you! I'm just a little…unsure of what I've done to…deserve a welcome such as this."

Akko reluctantly released Diana from her grip as she gave her back a few soft taps. "I'm sorry. I just…I missed you, is all. I felt like…like I haven't seen you in forever."

"Forev-?" Diana suddenly flushed, mistaking her meaning. "Ah! W-well, that's…that's quite the powerful sentiment. It's…been longer than preferable for me as well, but ah…it's always nice to see you again." She loudly cleared her throat. "…my goodness."

Amanda snickered in the background.

"…Wow." Sucy piped up. "This is…disgusting. I might actually throw up in my mouth."

Lotte glanced at her disapprovingly out of the side of her eye. "Sucy…"

Diana brushed her hair back into place, shaking off the last of her bashfulness. "I-in any case. I…well, _we_ actually, had just come by to see if you were up to anything when we found you…ah, dreaming, I suppose."

Akko straightened herself out as best she could. "Why?"

Diana pursed her lips. "…May I speak with you a moment, Akko?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"I meant…alone."

Lotte took the hint and bolted from her desk. "Oh, that's no problem! Here, we'll all get out of your way! Right, Sucy?"

"Seriously?" Sucy droned, making no effort to either fight or cooperate as Lotte physically dragged her out of the room. "But this is our room."

Amanda followed suit, and trailed the two out into the hall. "Yeah, sure, sure." She smirked. "I'm sure we can trust you two lovebirds alone, eh Diana?"

Amanda gave a saucy wink. Diana merely rolled her eyes.

With a light tap to the other girl's shoulder, Amanda ushered Hannah out into the hall. "C'mon, Hannah. We didn't even get to do anything on that trip, so I think you owe me a wooing."

Hannah turned beet red. "W-what?!" She screeched. "W-what does _that_ mean?! What does-?!"

Amanda slammed the door shut behind them before Akko could hear anymore.

The two of them were left alone, and Diana visibly let herself relax a bit more without so many pairs of eyes on her.

"Is everything okay, Diana?"

"I was about to ask you the same question." Diana said. "Again, I apologize for waking you. But…before we left, Hannah mentioned you were having trouble sleeping."

Akko did her best not to let her discomfort show on her face. "…Something like that." She shifted on her feet, suddenly feeling a little unstable. "Did…she say anything else?"

"No," Diana said, seemingly missing Akko's sigh of relief, "…and that's precisely why I came. When I asked Lotte and Sucy yesterday, they said you've been sleeping most of the day, and wonder if you're doing something at night. They've been…a little worried about how little they've seen of you lately."

"Wait, yesterday?" Akko cocked her head. "When did you get back?"

"Not terribly long ago." Diana said. "I don't mean to pry into your business, and I'm sure with your birthday coming up in six days, you've got a lot on your mind."

Six days?

That…couldn't be right. It was supposed to be over a week away.

If it hadn't been Diana, she'd have been sure she misheard. But Diana said she was here yesterday. As far as Akko knew, when she went to bed last in the evening, Diana was gone.

But for all that to make sense, she'd have to have been asleep for…all of yesterday…

She glanced at the alarm clock on the desk. If all this was right, she had been stuck in that dream for 36 hours. At minimum.

Diana took a small step closer, seemingly noticing the distress on her features.

"I know between this sudden trip and my other recent circumstances, I haven't been able to see you very much, and I am sorry for that. But if have anything on your mind, I'm here now. And I'd like to help, if I may."

Akko's brows furrowed.

' _You need to tell her.'_ She told herself. _'Nothing else is working, and you can't figure this out on your own._ '

Akko frowned at the thought. ' _No, that's exactly why you_ can't _tell her. What if it turns out they're right, and you really aren't special?_ '

She wasn't sure if that was the right response, but she also wasn't sure how she could face herself in the morning without ever knowing if it was all true.

' _But I can't keep doing this. What happens when I get hurt really bad?_ '

She tried not to think at the new wound on her kneecap. Another part of her mind told her how unfair she was being. She trusted a _fake_ Diana in her memories, so of course she could trust the real one.

' _The spirit could possess a memory of Diana next._ '

The suddenly all-too familiar pain tightened its grip around her heart.

Diana was too kind to deserve her thinking about her like this. She should trust her, she knew that, but the consequences, even if only the ones in the dream, terrified her.

' _What if she gets mad you didn't tell her sooner?_ '

' _What if she finds out you're doubting her?_ '

' _What if she thinks you're a mess?_ '

A steady hand planted itself on her shoulder, and Akko was pulled from her thoughts. It was only then that she realized she had been staring at the floor, all but quaking on her knees.

She really _was_ a mess.

"Akko?" Diana gave her a reassuring squeeze. "You…had me worried there for a moment. Did…I wake you too suddenly, or…?"

Akko's hand drifted up to rest on Diana's own, holding it there, trying to anchor herself in her presence. "…No, I'm sorry." She sighed. "It's _good_ you woke me up. I'm just…a little spaced out right now."

"Do you need me to get you anything?"

"No. Maybe. I dunno."

"Akko…If something _is_ bothering you, you can trust me. I'll do everything I can to help. You know that…right?"

"I know." Akko said, quicker than she meant to. "But…I mean, you guys _did_ just get back from…wherever. I'd feel a little bad if I dumped a bunch of stuff on you before you even got a chance to really settle in again."

"I appreciate the thought, but I would settle in _much_ easier knowing you're alright. Besides, it's been a while since we've gotten the chance to sit and talk. I think I rather miss it."

"I…I miss it too." She admitted. "B-but like you said, you got a lot going on. If you're busy with your own stuff, I don't wanna bother you."

"You could _never_ be a bother to me."

Her gaze was tender and unashamedly full of love, and even Akko found herself blushing underneath the full brunt of it. There were very few people Diana trusted to see this vulnerable side of her, and the number of people Diana had looked at like that could be counted on a single hand.

It shouldn't have made Akko feel more conflicted.

"I…still."

Diana shook her head with a fond smile. "Akko, you silly girl." She said softly. "When have I ever been too busy for you? I have nothing planned for the rest of the evening, and even if I did…I would gladly stay here, if I thought it could help you."

Akko swallowed.

"…Look." She started. "I don't… _mean_ to be so spacy. And I'm not trying to doubt you, I'm not. It's…I don't even know how to start or…or what the problem even is and…"

Diana cut off her rambling with a quiet hum. She was obviously disheartened she couldn't be of more use, but just as obviously trying not to overwhelm her.

"Akko…it's okay." She cooed. "As I said, if you don't wish to talk, you don't have to force yourself. I understand. I just want to make sure you're aware, I'm _always_ willing to listen."

Diana moved to take her leave, and before Akko could even think about doing it, she had already tightened her hand around Diana's own on her shoulder, unwilling to let her go.

She had already made her choice about trusting Diana a long time ago.

"…A-alright, wait." Akko tried not to chew on her lip. "I think a lot of this is gonna sound really weird, but…do you remember…when I got detention last week?"

Diana's expression quickly became serious. "Last week? Has something been bothering you that long…?"

"It's not…" Akko groaned at herself, and took a deep breath. "Can you come with me to that mirror lockup again? There's…something I think I need to talk to you about…"

* * *

 _A.N. This title's cheating a little bit, since I didn't really do anything with the NightFall episode, but eh…Akko didn't really do much in that one, and the title fit the chapter's imagery…_

 _Next time, "Things We Didn't Say Today" We're finally getting some overdue answers about this curse and how it works. Akko's still worried about how Diana's going to react, once she finds out the full brunt of what's been going on._

 _But what could this all mean…?_


	10. Things We Didn't Say Today

What Diana thought to be a simple homesickness turned out to be something far, _far_ , more serious.

Getting access to the basement lockup for her and Akko was a simple matter of asking the right person for permission. She hadn't even expected them to say no. She always had the respect and trust of the teaching staff, and they had trusted her to be responsible, because after all, the Cavendishes were a respected family.

They were leaders, diplomats, and healers. The kind of people who someone could rely on to help them with whatever ailed them. And Diana had strived for as long as she could to live up to those ideals. She had been trained to be gracious and kind, to be collected, and to keep a level head, no matter the pressure.

Once Akko told her the truth about what had been happening under her nose, that training was the only reason Diana was able to hide her reaction.

Akko had been uncharacteristically quiet, barely saying a word until they arrived in the solitude of the Academy's basement. And even there, she still looked over her shoulder to confirm no one else was listening. Hesitant, and visibly forcing herself to speak, Akko began to explain.

"I…I think I really messed up, Diana. I think I'm…cursed."

And while Diana listened, as calmly as she could, Akko told her about the dreams.

She explained how a week ago, after Diana had left for the night while she stayed behind to clean the last mirrors, one of them had shown her strange visions, morphing her reflection into all kinds of people from her memories.

She told her about the spirit that must've come from the mirror, that now inhabited her memories. She told her about how relived a corrupted version of her adventure in Arcturus. She told her about how she relived adventure after adventure, but with all the tools she had needed to succeed had been stolen away.

She rolled up her sleeve, showing a fading, red wound going down the length of her forearm, sliced open by a bramble. She pointed to the raw, scabbed over skin on her kneecap. She gestured to the bruises she kept finding on herself when she woke up.

And with every shaking word that passed Akko's lips, Diana became less and less confident she could keep her calm composure from shattering entirely.

How long had the poor girl been suffering in silence?

All these wounds on her body, all these traumatic visions that haunted her night after night, and she had been alone all this time. All Diana had noticed was how quiet and bedridden she had been since her detention. She had spent these last few days wishing she could be someone her beloved could rely on, and to find out she had been shouldering so much pain on her own…

Had she the privilege of being someone or somewhere else, where she wasn't immediately needed, she would've been sick.

Akko ran a hand through her hair, not looking her any more in the eye than when she had begun. "…And then I was back on the Wagandea Tree. But Ursula wasn't there to save me, and…I didn't have the Shiny Rod either. So I just…fell and…I would've kept falling to the ground, but…then you woke me up."

Diana was almost surprised her own voice wasn't shaking when she finally spoke. "…Which mirror was it? That did this to you?"

Diana opened the door for her, and tried not to mull over how timidly Akko entered. She didn't want to say it out loud, but she had never heard of anything like this. There were certainly many hexes and the like that could infect dreams, and she had even heard stories about gruesome magical ailments that could trap someone in an endless nightmare.

But none of what she could imagine matched the specific nature of what Akko was going through. And none of the mirrors _here_ , at a school full of young, inexperienced students, could possibly do such a thing.

Least of all the one Akko finally stopped in front of. The full-length mirror, that Akko was keeping her distance from, was neither the tallest, nor the most impressive mirror in the gallery, with only the barest amounts of embellishments on its faux-gold frame to keep it from being completely unnoteworthy.

Diana squinted at their reflections. "This one…? Are you sure?"

Akko nodded. "Of course I'm sure. I…I dunno if I just forgot to hit it with fairy dust, or…I dunno, maybe I cleaned it wrong and made it mad? But I know this is the one that cursed me. Just look at it."

Diana hummed, before starting towards the door. "…well then, the first thing we need to do then is get this mirror safely cordoned off just in case. Then we need to get you to a nurse, so she can-"

Akko suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders. "No!"

"…No?"

"N-no." Akko shook her head. "We…we can't tell the professors or anyone. Not yet."

Diana narrowed her eyes. "Akko, a curse…especially one like this…isn't something you should've been keeping a secret. We have to tell somebody about it, so you can get you the help you need."

"But if we tell the nurse, then all the other professors are gonna find out! I told you how bad it got in my dreams, I don't want anyone _else_ to find out about it too!"

"You're expecting your nightmares to come true." Diana said. "That's ridiculous. I can't blame you for being disturbed by how Lotte and everyone else acted within your nightmares, but you're twisting things."

"I…I know I am, but just _please_ , okay?" Akko begged. "I-if the teachers find out, and then my _friends_ find out, they'll…just please, okay? Please, don't tell!"

Diana let out a conflicted huff.

The responsible thing to do, the choice her trained mind told her was right, was to go to the professors and make sure Akko got the help she needed, and the idea of risking her health, or putting her through another nightmare, based off her own pride, hardly seemed like a wise decision.

But her heart argued otherwise. Akko was frightened, disturbingly more than she should've been. She was begging her. She didn't want a Cavendish right now, she wanted _Diana_. How could Diana refuse her when she needed her most?

Which half of herself was she supposed to listen to...?

Akko was stewing in her guilt for something that wasn't even her fault to begin with, and every second Diana couldn't help her, she felt more and more useless.

Until at last, Diana made her decision. "…I won't go to the professors with this yet."

"Thank you, Diana! I don't know _what_ I-!"

" _However_." Diana interrupted. "In exchange, once I fix what I can here, you _need_ to tell someone in charge about all of this. My knowledge of curses only goes so far, and I won't have you put yourself at risk to any lingering side-effects. Deal?"

Akko chewed on her lower lip. "…okay, fine. It's a deal. But I'm sure you can find a way to fix this, right?"

Diana turned to regard the mirror. "I'll do what I can…" She said, studying the familiar frame of the mirror. "…this one in particular is what's known as a Remembrance Mirror. I'm sure you must've seen one before. They're fairly common, all things considered. It's…rather rare for a spirit to be able to possess one."

"Remembrance? Wait, so is _that_ why it's making me go through all my memories, over and over?"

"That's largely what it was designed to _do_." Diana explained, placing a finger to her chin. "The mirror allows its user to revisit their memories in their subconsciousness, in a sort of vision. I remember a colleague of my mother owned one, to help him remember formulas and appointments and the like."

Akko's voice was full skepticism. "People…would do this kind of stuff… _willingly?_ "

"They're supposed to be harmless. It's just a vision, there shouldn't be any way for someone to…cut themselves or bruise or anything of the sort. Even interacting with people within the vision is rather limited. I can't imagine what kind of spirit could've twisted it to the degree you're talking about…"

Akko groaned. "Look, I _know_ how this sounds, okay? But obviously something's wrong with it! That's why it's glowing like that, right?"

Diana's brows furrowed. "Glowing?"

Akko returned her confused look. "Yeah…? The glass is glowing. It's right in front of you."

Diana looked again, but everything outwardly appeared as it should be. It was just…an average looking mirror. And there certainly wasn't a glow.

"Diana? You… _can_ see it, right?"

Diana wasn't sure what to say to that. And Akko's brave face was slipping far faster than she could keep it up.

"You…you do believe me, right? B-because I'm telling the truth, I swear!"

Diana held up a hand. "I'm not saying that I-"

Akko cut her off before she could finish, already too raw from even _telling_ the story. "I know I've been really weird, a-and I'm sorry, but you just _gotta_ believe me! I just…if you can't help me, I don't…I don't know what I'm-!"

Before she could let out another word, Diana pulled the shaking girl into a tight embrace.

"Hey, hey." She whispered. "Akko, it's alright. It's alright. Just breathe."

And to give her credit, Akko did indeed try, as she laid her head into Diana's shoulder. "…I'm sorry." She eventually managed. "I know this is stupid…but…i-if you don't believe me, I don't know what…"

Diana simply shushed her, gently rubbing her hand down her back, in a predictable rhythm. Over and over, until Akko's breath finally began to calm.

"I believe you." Diana cooed. "Of course I do. I just need to make sure I get all the facts, okay? I'm not leaving until you're better."

Akko simply sniffled against her shoulder.

"…You know Akko, there _was_ this…very interesting person who taught me how rarely things are what they seem. A magic mirror like this, doing all the things you said it does, hardly seems any more far-fetched than what she showed me."

Akko's face contorted as she pulled away. "There…was?"

"Oh, certainly." Diana nodded. "The last summer I spent with them, they got me trapped in an endless time loop. Though, she _did_ manage to find a way to fix it, so I can't help but admire her for that."

Akko said nothing, but the corners of her lips twitched upwards.

"Not to mention she made me face down a nuclear weapon with her." Diana continued. "She's a rather silly girl, but she saved my life, once or twice. And I remember just a few weeks ago, in Zoology class…"

Akko let out a breathless chuckle. "Oh god, don't bring that thing up again..."

Diana returned her expression with her own grin. "It was quite a mess."

"I didn't know chimeras could do something like that!" Akko defended herself. "And I _did_ try to fix it! You saw!"

Diana leaned forward to place a reassuring kiss on her bangs.

"And you did." Diana reassured her. "Not to mention, so much more. After all we've been through, there's not a lot I won't believe. So I promise you, you have nothing to worry about with this mirror."

"Thanks, Diana…" Akko let out a silent sigh of relief. "…I'm still just gonna…stand back here though. The last time I tried to touch that thing, it kinda zapped me."

"By all means."

As Akko retreated backwards, Diana turned back to regard the mirror, trying to think of some way to break a curse she knew next to nothing about.

Eventually, her hands went to her belt to extract her wand. "…If there's a sprit connected to this mirror, perhaps we can communicate with it." She waved her wand and cast a communication spell, opening a link between her, and any spirit within the mirror. " _Turuto Tarumare_."

At first, there seemed to be no response, which certainly wasn't typical for a magical object this old. Receiving nothing at all didn't make much sense. Clearly there was something at work here, if Akko had the scars to back up her story.

The language of spirits was not her typical expertise, but she understood more than what should be necessary just to call the spirit forward. She closed her eyes and whispered a single message along the link. In an almost inaudible voice, she asked, "Where are you?"

From behind her, far out of earshot for such a quiet voice, Akko suddenly reacted.

"Whoa, that's…weird." She said. "I think I can like…hear you inside of my head."

Diana's brows furrowed. After a moment's thought, she brought her other hand closer to the end of the wand, and, in more of an experiment than anything, snapped her fingers.

The response was immediate.

"OW!" Akko cried as her hands flung to cover her ears. "Loud! Loud! _Really_ loud!"

"Sorry! I'm sorry!"

"And don't wave your wand around so much, okay?! The wind is _right_ in my ear!"

Diana cut off the communication link as quickly as she could. "That's…not normal."

Akko rubbed at her ears. "I mean…if the thing's in my head, then…it makes sense I would be able to hear you like that, right?"

"It's not a telephone line. The spell is _supposed_ to call the spirit out, not just speak to it." Diana sighed. "…this doesn't make any sense. Even a spirit rejecting communication at least should've made a sign, but I didn't even receive a blip. And it certainly shouldn't be affecting you like this."

"Well, if you can't _talk_ to it, there's gotta be some way to just…blast it out of my brain, right? Because no offense, I kinda don't care what it wants anymore, I just want it to leave."

Diana scoffed. "It's not quite as cut and dry as 'blasting it out of your brain.' But I do have… _one_ idea."

"What's that?"

Diana took a deep breath, and pooled her magic to the core of her being in preparation. "My family is a family of healers. And we have one spell developed by the proudest members of our house, designed to be the most powerful curse-lifting hex known to medicine. And by its light, we-"

Akko bounced over and excitedly grabbed Diana's hands. "You'll be able to blast this thing outta my brain!"

"…Yes." Diana said. "I suppose if you wish to simplify it, that would be the short version."

"Ha!" Akko beamed. "I knew I could count on you! Ah man, if this works, I could kiss you!"

"Yes, well, hold that thought." Diana pried her hands away, and took several paces back. She faced Akko and readied her wand once more. "Brace yourself, Akko. This is the sacred curse lifting spell passed down by the healers of the House of Cavendish. If anything can purge this creature from your system, it will be this."

"Uhh, okay. It's not gonna hurt, is it?"

Diana smiled. "Of course not. You've seen me perform this during the Jupiter Eclipse. At worse, you might feel a slight chill for a few hours."

She took a deep breath to ready herself. The spell was second in its healing properties only to the Words of Arcturus. It was only able to be cast by those who truly embodied the ideals of the House. But truth be told, it wasn't hard for Diana to summon _more_ than enough feelings of compassion and gratitude for her current company.

With practiced ease, she cast the spell that was her birthright.

" _Ennor Fiendennor!_ "

By her heart's command, she called forth a healing circle that appeared around Akko's feet. And from the outline of the circle, a pillar of ethereal light cascaded upwards, bathing Akko in its gentle glow.

Akko seemed unsure at first, but gradually, she let out her breath, and let herself be enveloped in the magic's comforting embrace, with a quiet sigh of relief. The light filtered through her, lifting away anything that might cause her harm.

A smile found its way to Diana's lips, and with renewed confidence, she allowed her family's coveted spell to do its job and remove whatever curse was ailing her.

And then, the light began to convulse.

Without warning, the gentle wind blowing plowed into Diana like a gale-force wind. She struggled to remain upright.

"Diana!" Akko cried out as she faltered. "What's happening?!"

Diana's knuckles turned white around her wand as she fought to regain control. "I…I don't know!"

"What do you mean you don't know?! But that's _your_ spell!"

She couldn't offer an explanation, because she genuinely couldn't think of one. It was as though her magic itself was fighting her, as though what she was trying to make the spell do, and what it actually _was_ doing were completely at odds.

The light convulsed once again, and through the wind ripping past her ears, Diana heard Akko yelp.

She didn't waste another second. She shut off her spell, and called out the first magic nullification incantation that came into her head, and in a wave, the energy erupted from her wand. As the explosion of mana-quenching power filled the room, it shredded the healing circle to pieces.

In her moment of panic, the nullification spell Diana cast was strong enough to momentarily knock out every light in this corner of the Academy.

Eventually, the room's lights flickered back on, and Diana took a moment to catch her breath in the newfound silence.

Akko reached down to help her to her feet. "So…what do we do now?"

As much as it pained her to admit it, Diana didn't have any more ideas. There truly was only one other thing she could do, and that was admit, she couldn't do this by herself.

"…We have to call someone."

* * *

As the two of them slowly made their way up the stairs to the top of the Luna Nova Tower, Akko wrung her hands together.

"I just don't wanna tell Ursula about all this..."

"I know," Diana said over her shoulder, "but if you won't let me go to another professor, then at least let me do this for you. You've always been able to trust Professor Ursula."

"But she's on vacation. She's gonna get mad at me…"

"If she didn't want to help you, she could've said no, and she wouldn't have asked us to meet her up here. And this was our deal, remember?"

Akko didn't get a chance to respond with much more than a sigh by the time they reached the uppermost sanctum of the Tower. If either of them thought it strange that Ursula would ask to meet here of all places, they didn't voice it.

The uppermost sanctum, after all, had once been Professor Croix's lab. A year ago, this section had been sealed off by a thick metal door and magitronic locks. The expansive doorframe had long since been taken away, leaving nothing but a large hole in the wall in its lack.

Stripped of all its machinery by a years' worth of remodeling, the once proud laboratory had been reduced to a barren, concrete room, coated with dust and disuse.

The husk of the lab would've been empty, had it not been for the fact that Hannah, Barbara, Lotte _and_ Sucy were already settled in here, alongside the entirely of Green Team. The last thing Diana had been expecting was to find in this place was the seven of them.

Lotte noticed her gaze, and shared a quick look with Barbara. "Alcor came to our window, with a message from Ursula." She explained. "She…said she wanted to ask Sucy and I something?"

Barbara nodded. "Yeah, and I was hanging out with Lotte when Alcor found us. And I guess Sucy was talking with Constanze, so I guess we just _all_ figured we would come. It sounded _totally_ serious, Diana. It's not like super bad, is it?"

"That," Professor Ursula's voice called out, "is what we're here to find out."

Akko and Diana turned to the door behind them. But the first one to enter the lab had not been Professor Ursula, but rather…

"Professor Croix?" Akko cocked her head.

"Ah, just Croix, actually." Croix said dryly.

Diana's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"

Professor Ursula stepped out from behind the former Professor, and politely coughed into her fist. Diana supposed she was about to be on the receiving end of an explanation on how Croix was trying, and was working to redeem herself, and so she had decided to come with to assist with Akko's precarious situation.

Ursula fidgeted. "W-well, I…actually needed a ride." She awkwardly laughed to herself. "Sorry to drop an unexpected guest on you, but it looks like you two did the same to _me!_ Maybe it's for the best. Given what Diana told me over the call, I thought I should check in with everyone anyway."

Amanda, who had been coolly leaning against the wall, arched a brow. "Yeah? And what _did_ she tell ya over your call?"

Taking a calming breath to settle herself, Ursula's kind and slightly bashful gaze steeled into a more professional gaze. "From what I understand, Akko has been cursed." She turned to the girl in question, and half the room's eyes followed her. "…Is that true, Akko?"

Unable to meet the roomful of her friend's expectant and worried stares, Akko could only manage a small nod.

Seeing the cheerful, happy girl she fell in love with so beside herself with worry clenched at Diana's heart. She chose to speak in her stead, if not to spare Akko the trouble, then to at least find a distraction from berating herself for not being here to solve this sooner.

"We can't seem to find the exact nature of this curse, however. As I've told Professor Ursula, we…no. _I_ haven't been able to identify what it is, nor has any curse ailment I've tried worked. Whatever this curse is, it's certainly resilient."

"…I don't think I've ever heard of a curse that could resist detection magic _and_ curse-lifting magic…" Ursula mused. "And you're sure it was one of _our_ magic mirrors?"

"It was!" Akko insisted. "The golden one! The Remembrance Mirror or…whatever it's called! I'm _sure_ of it!"

Amanda suddenly stood up straight. "Wait." She gaped at Akko. "All that stuff you said before to me and Hannah, about nightmares and some evil mirror…you were…serious about all that?"

Akko bit her lip. Her expression said enough.

Diana's lips pressed together in a thin frown.

Amanda and Hannah had known? When had Akko told _them?_

And…why them? Before her?

Sucy seemed similarly confused. "But how did _that_ happen? None of my detection magic worked. I've never heard of curse like that."

Jasminka gasped. "Is that why you were trying not to sleep before? And why you fell asleep like that in our room?"

Amanda ran a hand through her hair. "I…we…I thought you were just-! Y-you actually got-?!"

The girls all barraged Akko with more confused, and almost frantic, questions, and the girl sunk lower and lower with each one, hiding the way a cornered animal might.

Ursula waved her hand. "Alright, settle down!" She said, in a commanding voice. "We're going to get this figured out, but one at a time, _please_. This is why I called you in here with us anyway, to see what everyone knows."

The room fell silent at that.

"Right…" Diana mumbled. "Everyone…"

Diana tried not to make a face. She tried not to let her face show how it felt to find out she was the last one to know about how badly the girl she loved was suffering.

If nothing else, she tried.

Ursula, like a true professional, did her best to quiet the room and give herself a moment to think. "But…I do agree, that I don't understand how this could happen." She said, sharing a look with Croix. "We check them every semester. And Samantha was right, none of those mirrors have shown any sign of activity since _we_ were students here."

Croix pursed her lips. "…But then when we were students here, magic was still declining. Whereas now, it's increasing by the day."

Lotte shifted on her feet. "W-well…" She began, a little unsure about proposing a theory in front of everyone. "Spirits are born into old objects. And some spirits need more magic than others. M-maybe the Grand Triskellion being opened revived a really old spirit…?"

Sucy nodded. "Any kind of creature that needed that much magic would've gone extinct long ago. So if it's making a comeback, how exactly are we supposed to find it?"

Diana crossed her arms as she was overtaken by a wave of bitterness. Between all eleven witches, none of them could think of an idea that had not already failed. It was clear that no traditional method was going to be able to solve this.

So perhaps it was only befitting that an untraditional witch like Croix would be the one to step up. "…Can I borrow your wand, Chariot? I might have an idea."

"Oh?" After a moment, Ursula's eyes lit up in realization. "Oh! Do you think that diagram you've been using would help at all?"

Croix waved Ursula's wand, and the three metal prongs lit up with green energy, until suddenly an ethereal hand sprouted out.

The hand stretched out across the room, stopped right in front of Akko, and then with two fingers, phased right through her forehead and plucked out a small seed. And it then placed the little round object in midair directly in the center of the lab, before it retracted back into the wand.

Akko's only reaction was a small "Eh?"

At once, dozens upon dozens rapidly sprouted out from floating seed in every direction, forming a strange, round, holographic object that looked somewhere between a plant and an atom. The way Diana saw it, it was almost like a tree, growing out in 360 degrees.

"What are we looking at?" She asked.

"This is a kind of research technique I used when I was developing Chariot's cure." Croix said. "I call it a mana-diagram. It lets you see the health of an individual's magic levels, how much it's growing, and in _our_ case, lets you see if there's anything unsavory leeching off of it."

"So in a way," Ursula smiled, "We're looking at Akko's magic itself."

The rest of them could only stare at the diagram in various levels of wonderment, and slight discomfort. Laying out something as sacred as magic in a manner like this…a year ago, Diana might've called such a diagram heresy. Her eyes had been opened wider since, and she wasn't going to pass judgement.

But nonetheless, it made her skin come unreasonably close to crawling. Especially as the diagram slowly rotated along its axis, and she noticed a full third of the branches on the plant were almost completely rotted, withered and malnourished.

Diana shuddered at the sight. "Is that…the curse at work?"

Croix and Ursula shared a look.

"No." Ursula confessed. "This curse…isn't what did that to her magic."

Akko had no visible reaction to the news.

But as the room's eyes all turned to her to gauge that, she awkwardly hunched down. "L-look." She forced herself to say. "That's…no big deal. I'm over it, and I forgave everyone and that's it, so let's just move on, okay?"

The rest of them did their best to ignore the awkward atmosphere.

Croix took the moment to peer at the diagram, studying each branch of the spherical plant. Despite the seriousness of their situation, there was a clear, scientific intrigue in her expression.

"I'll give you this, kid." She mused. "Your magic signature might be one of the most unique I've ever seen. Some of the things here are pretty normal for someone like you. First generation witch, growing teenager, that sorta thing. But everything else is…"

She paused, and pointed to a particular section in the diagram.

"Look at this branch here."

The branch in particular, unlike every other one, was covered in healthy vines and dotted with flowers. Peering closer, it even seemed to glow just a bit brighter than every other one on the tree.

"This kind of protective mark can only be made by an extremely powerful witch, and I recognize it because Chariot has this same one in _her_ signature. This is Woodward's blessing."

Akko cocked her head. "Because she's the one who made the Shiny Rod…?"

Croix frowned at the moniker, but nodded nonetheless. "…Exactly. That mark says you can wield the power of the Claiomh Solais." She turned her attention to a similarly glimmering branch on a different section. "But then _this_ one over here…looks similar. Maybe another one of the Nine Olde Witches…?"

Diana's eyes snapped up. "Beatrix?"

"What about her?" Croix asked.

Diana explained. "The innermost sanctums of my home are protected by a powerful hex, placed there by Lady Beatrix. All those who interfere with the Cavendish family's rituals will suffer a horrible fate. I've…come close to seeing that unfold."

"But _I_ didn't get cursed back then…" Akko said. "I mean, I don't _think_ I did?"

"You did not. You broke into those sanctums, yet you never suffered any ill effects, which means…" She turned to smile at the girl in question. "…you've won the favor of my ancestors."

Despite everything going on, Diana couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride in Akko. But Akko either didn't understand the significance of her own feat, or was in a place where she couldn't find the energy to appreciate it.

Amanda, however, was getting more and more frustrated by the second.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, _fine_." She snapped at the former professor. "So she's got a good resume, big whoop. What does this have to do with _anything?_ "

"That's my point." Croix snipped right back. "There's been so many hands in this kid's magic, it's the perfect hiding place. If it _is_ in here, it could take us _days_ to find it. We have no idea what to even look for."

Constanze murmured in thought, and the Stanbot atop her head unfolded. "Miss Constanze wants to know why you don't simply filter out the extraneous entities to isolate Akko's unique signature."

"This isn't a computer program, kid." Croix said." It's not like everything's under a neat little label."

"You recognized the signatures of yourself and Professor Ursula. Why is it not possible to rerun the scan while filtering out ones you recognize?"

Croix blinked.

With a small grumble, she whispered a hurried incantation into Ursula's wand. The ethereal hand reappeared, and stretched itself out to the diagram. The hand jostled and shook it until a few branches faded away.

And when the view cleared more and more, and the seed that was the center of the diagram became clear for all to see, they were greeted with a bulbous outgrowth attached to what was the epicenter of Akko's mind.

It looked like a leech. It pulsated, almost as though it was taking a breath, and the branches still visible on the diagram shook.

"What is _that?!_ " The blood drained from Akko's face as she screeched. "T-that thing's what's inside my head?! That's nasty! Get rid of it!"

"Well, _that_ would explain why we couldn't find this thing before." Croix let out a disapproving grunt, completely unaffected. "I've studied magic related biology for years, and I don't think I've ever seen anything like this…"

The leech-like object pulsated faster as Akko grew more and more frantic. "What is it _doing?!_ Why is it moving?!"

Croix pursed her lips. "I'm…getting there. There's only a few explanations as to why we couldn't detect it before. And as far as I can tell, this creature seems to have its own brand of magic, and its using it to stimulate the amygdalae in your brain."

"…My _what?!_ "

Constanze's Stanbot lit its led after a quick search on the internet. "The amygdala is a group of nuclei in the temporal lobe that play a primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making and emotional responses!"

"And those emotional responses," Croix continued, "include fear, and anxiety. This thing is in your central nervous system, forcibly inducing those feelings the moment your mind enters an REM state."

"What does that _mean?!_ " Akko cried. "Look, I don't want the science, I just wanna know what this spirit wants!"

"It's not a spirit. It's a parasite."

Akko shrunk back.

Her voice was quiet.

"W-what do you mean…? Of course it's a spirit. I've…I've talked to it! It's…it's a spirit. Right?"

Croix seemed reluctant to say. "…Look, this isn't…an _exact_ diagram of your brain, but…I've been using it to place a few abnormalities caused by Wagandea's disease, so it gives a rough estimate. This thing is entangled with your subconscious right now."

"But…what does that…?"

"It means your mind…" Croix paused, evidently trying to phrase it gently. "…is trying to react to all these unexplained stimuli it's feeling, and…since this thing is already _in_ your subconscious, and has presumably has properties of the Remembrance Mirror…is making stuff up to cope."

Akko reeled back in horror. "My…my mind is doing this…?"

"It's…doing half, I suppose. The fear and doubt and…well, whatever emotions, those aren't yours. That's the parasite. But the things you dream to _make_ those emotions…those _are_ yours. We couldn't detect it before, because at this point, it's settled in so thoroughly, it's convinced your mind it's…part of it."

That was the only explanation why the curse-lifting spell had failed. Diana cast it hoping to annihilate the spirit, and to protect Akko. But if the spirit, the parasite…had gotten so entangled as to convince any sort of detection spell it was _part_ of Akko…

Sucy glared downward. "…does this thing even _have_ a consciousness for a detection spell to find…?"

"Then this…" Akko wrung her hands through her hair. "All the dreams, all the awful things…they're all _my_ fault…?"

Diana quickly went to her side to steady her. "Akko, _no._ How could you think that? Did you mean to get yourself cursed?"

"N-no! Of course not! But I just-!"

"Then there's no possible way this was your fault. This was an accident. This only happened because-"

"Because of everything that I did!" Akko insisted. "I-it happened because of me! I'm the one who gave it the magic it needed, I gave it a place to hide! If I hadn't-!"

" _Akko!_ "

Akko flinched at the forceful tone.

"Breathe." Diana told her. "These thoughts are _not_ you. Even if they _did_ come from you, they are _not_ you. Everyone's here because we care about you. Everyone came up to help because they love you, and wants to see you get better. No one here could _ever_ blame you for what this…thing doing to you."

"That's right." Ursula agreed. "I didn't even call everyone else. They all came because they were worried."

Akko took a deep breath in through her nose, and promptly hid in her hands. "I…I know." She mumbled. "I'm sorry. I'm not _trying_ to be a bad friend. And…and I know I'm twisting stuff, but…but I'm…I'm just…"

Professor Ursula reached over, and gently took Akko's hands from her face. "…I think you could a little break. Maybe we should go out and take a walk. It's a nice day, and I think the sunshine will feel _much_ better than being cooped up in some musty old lab. Don't you?"

Akko rubbed at her eyes. "You're not…mad about it…?"

"Of course not." Ursula shook her head. "We've both been so busy lately, it'll be nice to have a few minutes to ourselves, just like we used to."

Akko swallowed, and glanced over. "Diana…?"

"It'll be okay." Diana assured her. "All of this just sounds worse than it is, and I already promised you we'd find a solution."

"I…I'm not trying to doubt you."

"I know, and you're not. You have nothing to fear, alright? We'll help you. You should rest."

Akko's eyes widened, and Diana immediately retracted her statement.

"I…n-no. Not rest, obviously. That's the _last_ thing you should do. I meant more…metaphorically. Take a few moments to yourself to recuperate. You know what I mean."

Akko sniffled, and a weak smile found its way to her lips. "…you know? I don't know what I did to make you get all flustered _this_ time, but…it is nicer to hear than all this science talk…"

A small laugh escaped Diana. "Well…the person I told you about earlier tends to leave me somewhat speechless. Take a break, okay? I'll catch up with you later."

Ursula ushered Akko from the room, and as soon as the two of them were out of sight, the smile fell from Diana's face.

What in the world was she doing? She had no idea how to fix this. And the more she tried to help, the more Akko wanted to isolate herself so no one else had to see her.

She didn't know what to do. None of her family's training had helped in the slightest. And without that, what did she even have left to offer?

The dry, and ever monotone voice of Sucy broke her from her thoughts. "…While you guys were doing that, did anyone else watch the diagram at all?"

"I was preoccupied." Diana crossed her arms. "What have you noticed this time?"

"This parasite reacted when Akko went into a frenzy. In fact, it's been going nuts _every_ time she starts stressing out."

"What exactly does that mean?"

"The fact that it's inducing these fears and nesting itself in her head isn't just a random coincidence. It's connected. With the way this kind of creature is reacting, I'd guess it's less playing some game with her memories, and more…feeding off her."

Lotte's face went white. "Feeding off her?!"

"Affirmative!" Constanze's Stanbot answered, ignoring the pale face of its shocked creator. "Parasite is finding sustenance in the electrical synapses within Akko's brain! Additional stress will likely make physical state much worse!"

Diana forced herself to speak. "How much worse?"

Croix held up a hand. "Look, we've only placed it. We need more time to study, and everything else is just an educated-"

" _How much worse._ "

Croix let out a sigh.

"…Every time she starts dreaming, it _pelts_ her with every anxiety-inducing thing her subconscious can dig up, so it can go on a feeding frenzy. And when it loses hold and she wakes up, she's left with a ton of emotions she doesn't know what to _do_ with. And processing that? Makes her tired. So she has to sleep, and start the whole cycle over again."

It was a horrifyingly efficient system.

Sucy ran a hand through her hair, letting out a disgusted groan.

"Alright, we _get_ it!" Amanda shoved her way up to the diagram with an angry growl. "So it's bad! But we know it came from that stupid mirror, right? Why don't we just go out and smash the damn thing and kill it?!"

"Not a good idea." Croix said. "I…know a thing or two about memory related magic. This thing's had a week to settle in. If you try to just rip it out without untangling it from her subconscious first, you don't know _what_ you'll take with it."

"But it's _Akko,_ right?" Hannah said. "I mean, she powers through dumb stuff like this all the time! It…it can't be _that_ bad, right?"

"Time is limited!" The Stanbot warned. "Additional nightmares may increase the damage. Human body not built for sustaining such long stresses of physical and mental trauma!"

Lotte frowned. "So…what can we _do?_ There…has to be a way to fix this, right?"

Diana struggled to keep herself standing upright anymore. "This doesn't make any sense. How could she… _twist_ everything like this? How could we let her get so bad…?"

If only she had been here. If only she had noticed the signs, postponed her trip to East Mogiana. Maybe she could've done something, before it had taken hold, before the parasite's influence had completely warped Akko's sense of self.

The years she had spent learning what it meant to be a healer for the Cavendish family had failed her. She had failed in the one moment where it counted, with the one person who mattered most.

She thought back, to when _she_ had been at her lowest, back during the Jupiter Eclipse. She thought she had lost everything, and yet…Akko had managed to find a way to grab victory out of the jaws of defeat.

Against all odds, against everything Diana had done prior, Akko came to her with a fire in her eyes, and hope in her heart to convince her there was still a way. And ever since, every day since Diana had fallen in love with those eyes, she had been trying to find a way to repay her.

And now, the fire in those red eyes of hers was in danger of being extinguished.

"…No." Diana decided.

Croix looked down at her. "No…?"

"No. She's been through enough. I won't let her face this alone."

"But how are we supposed to fix this before she falls asleep again?" Lotte looked at her sadly. "We _all_ want to help her, but if it's _her_ mind, I don't know if it's even possible for us to do anything…"

"I used to believe in impossible." Diana confessed. "I used to believe in following the destiny the stars laid out for me. And I once used to believe no matter what that path was, I would simply accept it, without judgement or question."

Diana glared at the parasite on the diagram.

"I don't care what the stars say. I'll fight the heavens for her. And I'll be _damned_ if I'm going to lose."

The other eight witches could only stare on, unsure of how to even react in the face of everything that was going on.

Until eventually, Sucy nodded with a toothy grin. "We've dealt with worse odds before, I guess. What's one more adventure?"

Lotte timidly stepped up to plate. "I…I can ask around with other spirits around Luna Nova! Maybe someone else knows something about really old…dangerous…bug things?"

"…We can keep searching on our end." Croix said, turning back to the diagram as well. "If we pool what we find together, one of us is bound to stumble on some way to fix this mess."

Constanze gave an affirmative grunt and a thumbs-up, before returning to research alongside Sucy and their new colleague.

Hannah and Barbara shared a look. "Well…what about you then, Diana? What are you going to do?"

"First, I'm going to find Akko, and I'm going to make sure she's okay. And then…I'll see what happens next and go from there. We don't have long to fix this, and I still have a surprise party to finish."

"Wait. After all this, the party is still on?"

Diana said nothing as she strode from the room, other than to turn and regard the Witches with a curt nod. In any other moment, the true, genuine gratefulness, to _all_ of them, behind the gesture might've been lost.

But light shines the brightest in the darkness, and in that moment, they all could see, clear as day, that something in Diana's gaze had sparked, and begun to ignite.

* * *

 _A.N. Next Time, "Brain Storming" Things still seem bleak, but if ever there was a group to solve this, surely it's the Nine New Witches! (and the two extras) But unfortunately, the group seems to be a bit…less than cohesive right now._

… _I feel like we could use a little Hamanda right now. Do you want a little Hamanda right now? I want a little Hamanda right now._


	11. Brain Storming Part I

Hannah was the last one to leave the husk of the lab in the Tower.

Sucy, Constanze, and Croix had all elected to stay behind and keep working. Croix was pouring over the simulation of the mana diagram, bouncing the occasional off the two students to see if they could think of anything that could stick. Hannah hadn't been able to make heads or tails of the conversation, but it was clear none of the three of them were making very fast progress.

Diana's words had, at least, invigorated them into action, and they worked with a full, if slightly desperate, determination. Lotte left not long after Diana did. She asked Croix a few questions and went to search for some spirits to talk to, timidly attempting to play her part.

And then there had been Amanda.

She stood in the corner, scowling as the rest of her fellow Witches talked, and once there was enough of a silence, she just left. Hadn't offered to help, hadn't declared she was going to do anything. She simply walked out, not sparing a glance to Jasminka, nor Hannah or Barbara, or anyone else.

Among everything else, it stuck out the most to Hannah. Amanda always gave off the impression that she had never doubted herself a day in her life. She always knew what she was about, what she wanted.

Insecure was a word that was simply not in Amanda's vocabulary. So to see her dropping any pretense of attitude or indifference left Hannah herself wondering where she was meant to go from here.

Because the truth was, she really didn't know _what_ to think of this disgusting parasite Croix laid out for them, or the fact that all these typically confident witches were flailing to react to it. None of them were truly equipped to handle this crisis right now, not when it just been dropped on their lap.

But _they_ were the self-proclaimed Nine New Witches. They were the ones who fought missiles and monsters and everything else. They knew what to do, even if they didn't know _how_ to do it.

Hannah…was not. She didn't know. She wished she knew, but she didn't know where to start with all of this. She wasn't a genius or a biologist, nor was she a specialized healer or an inventor.

The plain and simple truth was Hannah was only here because Amanda was here, and she had a crush.

To her surprise, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Jasminka offered her a comforting smile. "Amanda's fine, Hannah." She assured her. "And we'll find a way to make sure everyone _else_ will be fine too. Don't worry."

Barbara, who had been absently gazing at the mana diagram, jogged over to join the two of them. "I don't think I've ever seen Diana so fired up! Like, obviously she was gonna take something like this seriously, but still!"

Jasminka hummed in agreement. "I hope now that everyone's working together again, everything will turn out okay."

"I-if there's anything Hannah and I can do to help-!" Barbara exclaimed. "You just gotta let us know!"

"Barb." Hannah said. "I…think they got it covered. Maybe we should let the professionals handle this for now."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"You know the saying about too many cooks in the kitchen. I just think it might be better if I just…stay out of their way for this one. I'm not sure what I'd be able to do anyway."

Barbara seemed indignant. "But Hannah, we can't just-! We gotta do _something_ , right? These are our friends!"

Hannah wasn't sure she wanted to split hairs on that point. "I'm not saying I'm going to do _nothing_! I'm just…not really sure what you really expect me to _do_ here in the first place! These guys are like, the Nine New Witches, right? What are _we_ supposed to contribute that they don't already have?"

Before Barbara could argue, Jasminka stepped in between the two of them.

"If you think that's best, then I think you should do that." Jasminka said. "But if you two want, you could help Amanda out. I'm going to check on Lotte, so _she_ doesn't have to be alone right now either."

Barbara swallowed. "I…think I'd rather go see Lotte too." She decided. "You know how testy Amanda can get when she's mad. I'd _really_ rather just let her be right now…"

"I don't know…" Jasminka hummed, with a significant glance towards Hannah. "Maybe if _you_ say something, Amanda will listen?"

Hannah crossed her arms, mentally debating herself over the idea. She _liked_ to think she was special like that to Amanda. And she wasn't sure she was brave enough to test the idea.

"How come _you_ don't seem that worried, Jasminka? I could barely even wrap my head around all the things Croix and everyone else were saying back there. How do you manage to be so calm about it?"

"I _am_ worried." Jasminka said. "But so is everyone else. So I think, maybe the best thing I can do to help is to stay and make sure they all have someone to back them up. Or give them a snack break. Whichever they need, whenever they decide."

Hannah's brows furrowed. "…You all really do know what you're doing, huh?"

Jasminka, in turn, smiled. "When you sit back and watch, you can learn a whole lot about people and what they need." She said. "…I'd wink at you, but people say to me they can't tell."

Hannah ran a hand through her hair, and turned to face the trio pouring over the simulation of the mana diagram, wondering if she could finally make sense of the conversation.

"Well, what about mind-melding?" Sucy offered up to Croix. "I know a little something about that. Couldn't we just have someone go into her head and fix her from the inside out?"

Croix shook her head. "Too much strain. Connecting another consciousness is liable to get you _both_ killed."

It wasn't making her feel any better. How nice it would be, to go back to the days when it was just the Blue Team, winning contests and shutting down naysayers. No matter how far she got, she missed those days.

"Hannah."

She turned back to face Jasminka.

"I know Amanda doesn't really like the name, and I know Diana thinks it's sort of silly too. But the Nine New Witches didn't come together because we're the best. We came together because we're friends and we care about each other. Even if it doesn't fit the name…there's always more than enough room for more."

"I…"

Jasminka popped a chip into her mouth. "But do what you think is right. It's not my business."

And with that she, with Barbara in tow, left to go back up Lotte.

Hannah didn't follow them. She didn't truly know what she'd say to Lotte in the first place. So she left to find Amanda. Though, she didn't even know what she was supposed to say to _her_ either.

It almost would've been funny, if it hadn't been her. All these years she had been such a gossip. She had always been the one to repeat What She Said To Her and to tell everyone about The Most Amazing Rumor. Now on her own, she found she couldn't find a voice that actually belonged to her.

She kept her eyes open as she left to find Amanda. The Nine were all busy doing whatever task they could find. She saw a more than few people whispering to each other, passing along who knows what.

The most she saw of Ursula was on the fringes of the campus, where she was having a hurried conversation with Headmistress Holbrooke. It was perhaps a half hour at most after the professor had left the Tower. Hannah couldn't make out any words, but from their grim expressions, it was clear what they were discussing.

And no one, save for Ursula and Diana, had seen Akko since.

* * *

It took until around midday for Hannah to find Amanda. The other Witch was in the cafeteria, slumped over in a chair in a corner, laying her head across the table. Her expression was practically a challenge, staring darkly at any witch who passed her by, daring them to speak so she could blow up at them in turn.

Hannah slipped into the seat across from her without a word. Amanda's eyes, even if only briefly, softened, and so Hannah cracked a small smile.

"…So. Some first date we had, huh?"

Amanda let out a single dry laugh. "Yeah…you're telling me."

"I was…" Hannah bit her lip. "I was really waiting until the right moment to ask you, and then I find it and…"

"And we get dragged along on Diana's little bloodspat with Croix, and then…everything else." Amanda finished curtly. "We got…what, like two days to ourselves? Guess that's what I get for teasing instead of just asking you out myself…"

"M-maybe so…" Hannah rubbed her arm. "I mean…for a while I was really wondering if you liked me or you were just teasing. Would've been nice to know beforehand, actually."

Amanda frowned. "Well my bad, then. I thought it was kinda…cute, the way you thought you were being secret, even though pretty much _everyone_ knew about it. I didn't think there was any need to spell it out, y'know?"

Hannah pressed her lips together in a thin line. "Amanda…about Akko…"

Amanda suddenly sat up. "Just save it." She snapped. "I don't need to hear any more apologies or how bad she's doing or _whatever_. I don't care, alright? I don't care, so do me a favor and drop whatever you were about to say."

"…Sorry."

Amanda looked at Hannah's pained expression, and took a long breath. "…No." She mumbled, as she slumped back into the seat next to her. "No, no, you're good. Not trying to snap at you, Hannah. We just don't need to talk about it."

The glowering expression on Amanda's face did not fill Hannah with any more confidence than she had before.

Hannah tried to sound as neutral as possible. Anything to avoid bringing the mood down even further when everything was already feeling bleak. "I'm…sure you guys don't really need my help. I mean you _are_ the Nine New Witches and all, but-"

Amanda cut her off with a scoff. "The Nine New Witches is just a _name_. It doesn't mean a single thing."

"Of course it does!" Hannah insisted. "Aren't you guys supposed to be like, _the_ team? You saved the world! You saved magic itself! That's gotta be worth something, right?"

"Like what? It's not like we got jackets made or something, it's just a stupid name that Akko…!"

Amanda stopped. And let out a sigh.

"…She's such an _idiot_."

"Who?"

"Who do you _think?_ " Amanda huffed. "I mean, y-yeah. She told us, but…but how was I supposed to know she was serious? Why didn't she just…just _make_ someone understand?! Why did she-?!"

Unable to bring herself to finish, Amanda simply brought her fist down on the table, and shot a quick burst of air up towards her hairline.

Hannah chewed on her lip. "I…I know you're better friends than _I_ am with her, but I don't think she-"

"Look, I _don't_ wanna talk about it!" Amanda growled. "…swear to god, I'm about to punch some poor unsuspecting chick's lights out right now. I just… _agh_. This whole thing is…"

She knocked her fist against the table again, and shook her head bitterly. It was as concisely as Amanda could put it.

Her green eyes snapped open when she felt Hannah's hand come to rest on top of her own.

Hannah quickly pulled away "S-sorry. I just…I dunno, thought you…needed…"

"…Hannah." Amanda's voice was unmistakably soft. "You remember the day you asked me out, when you talked about how some people just…clicked with each other?"

"I think so."

"…I don't think I ever clicked with anyone, really. My family always forced me to be one thing, school forced me to be another, and…I can't just fit into something I'm not. I'm not ever gonna…click. Not with you or anyone else. I've always been just…me against the world, y'know?"

"So what are you saying…?"

"I…" Amanda ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know. I really don't. But…well, after everything that happened back there…it doesn't make much sense to wait around for this kinda stuff. I just…needed to say it, and you deserved to know."

Hannah swallowed. "It…doesn't have to be just _you_ against the world."

"It _ought_ to be." Amanda said. "That always made the most sense."

"Well…I…I'm here for you anyway."

Amanda glanced up and arched a brow. Hannah flushed under her steady gaze.

"I-I mean…" Hannah's throat suddenly felt dry. "If you need me to…a-and I don't know what you'd need from _me_ , but if there's…um…if you need me to… _be_ something to…"

Amanda sighed. "Okay, okay. Don't hurt yourself…"

"N-no!" Hannah snapped. "Amanda, I…I need to say this too, because _you_ deserve to know. A-and you can do what you _want_ with it, but I gotta say it."

Amanda adjusted herself in her chair to face her. "Alright. So, let's hear it."

Hannah took a deep breath. "I won't talk about… _that_ , if you don't want me to. But I…I _do_ think what you do, what you _all_ do, is amazing, even if you don't. You guys…you totally saved the world."

"I didn't set out to do that. I just wanted to help my buddy, not…be some beholden hero, or whatever everyone thinks I am…"

"Be that as it may, I still think it's…incredible, you know? I think it's amazing what you do, and that you know what you're about and you don't listen to what anyone says about you."

Amanda inched a little closer. "I listen." She said, in a low voice. "I just don't always care."

Almost unconsciously, Hannah found herself leaning over the table. Their faces were getting much closer than she seemed to realize. "And I like that about you. S-so even if it's just _you_ against the world…I…I want…"

Amanda's breath was hot on her lips. "What do you want…?"

Hannah's eyes closed as she closed the distance. "I want…to be…"

And then a third voice jumped into their conversation.

"Hey ho, is that Amanda and Hannah I spy over there?!"

Amanda rolled her eyes as Wangari, alongside Kimberly and Joanna, obliviously approached the two of them. "Oh _perfect_ …" She muttered, flopping back down in her chair.

Hannah shrunk down in her seat, wishing she could just melt into a puddle and end the day that much faster.

"I thought I saw you two hanging out in here!" Wangari grinned. "I don't suppose you got any good news for us at the News Network?"

Amanda did not return her expression. "Shove off, Wangari. Not in the mood."

"Whoa, don't shoot the messenger now! I'm just here doing my duty! All the professors are in an uproar about some curse, and there's a rumor going around something happened! Any chance you can give us an exclusive and disprove it?"

"Ah geez…" Hannah hand went to her forehead, still feeling a bit faint. "Can't we just say No Comment? Put us down for that. We don't need everyone in on this right now."

For a moment, Wangari's smile faltered. "…But…they _aren't_ true, right? The rumors about something happening to ol' Froggo?"

Amanda sat up in her chair, narrowing her eyes. "Where did you hear about _that?_ "

"Got a tip from Sarah."

"What the hell does _Sarah_ know?"

"Her roommate Elfriede is in the book club with Barbara and Lotte, but those two suddenly cancelled their meet. And then just a little bit ago, Nelson and Lukić start going through the lockup and reassessing every single magic mirror. And the word is, Akko was the last one in there!"

Amanda crossed her arms. "…well isn't that just _perfect_."

"Amanda…" Hannah said gently. "It's okay."

Kimberly lowered her notepad and cleared her throat. "We…ah, thought all of it was connected, but…we were hoping to quiet the rumor mill. If…you guys don't have any comment, then…"

"Well, either way!" Wangari grinned. "You should know you have the full support of the Luna Nova News Network! I can see the next big headline now! Vile curse defeated! Atsuko 'Akko' Kagari makes full recovery!"

Kimberly elbowed her. " _Wan._ "

Wangari's face flushed beneath her wide grin. "…I mean, we…we don't actually have a headline made or…" She quickly shook her head. "I-it was a _joke!_ We're not gonna sensationalize it or nothing! We just…you know…I wanted to show…"

Wangari coughed, shrinking under the combined gaze of Amanda and Kimberly.

"…just…uh, let us know if she gets better."

Sheepishly, the Luna Nova News Network ushered themselves away, and Amanda let out a vindictive snort, before rapidly scanning across the cafeteria, until she finally spotted Sarah.

Sarah was having lunch with Chloe, Avery and Gaëlle. Avery elbowed the redheaded witch to look over. Catching Amanda's eye, Sarah offered her a sympathetic smile.

It only seemed to annoy Amanda more. She suddenly pushed herself up from the table and spun on her heels towards the door.

"Tch. Screw this…" She muttered. "I'm going for a ride…"

"Wait. Amanda, what about…!"

But Amanda was in no mood to talk. Not to her, nor to anyone else.

The thing about Amanda, one of the many that Hannah admired, is that for as much as she shunned responsibility, she would _never_ give up on the people closest to her. Ever. She'd complain, she'd tease, she'd poke and prod, but she was loyal to a fault.

And sitting idly by while the school gossiped about one of her best friends had reached that very fault. In just a matter of hours, it had gone from no one knowing about it, to _everyone_ knowing about it.

The more Hannah strained to listen to the chatter and harsh whispers across the cafeteria, the more and more rumors started to burn her own ears.

One witch looked to another and asked, "Did you hear the professors are all freaking out about some sort of curse…?"

Another said, "What kind of a curse is this supposed to be…?"

And the third would cross her arms and say, "I think they even called Professor Ursula back from vacation..."

"It must really be a bad curse then…"

"Something about a mirror I think…"

"I heard it was really _Akko_ who got…"

"Well, yeah, isn't she the one who's always …?"

Diana Cavendish strode into the room, and instantly cut the gossip short with a sharp, venomous glare. The offending girls did their best to look innocent.

Hannah found it hard to believe _she_ used to be part of that crowd. And here she was thinking she hadn't changed at all since last year.

Diana, against her better judgement, offered a small token of comfort as she noticed the dark expression on Amanda's face.

"…Amanda, is everything-?"

"Don't bother me, Cavendish." Amanda didn't even meet her eye as she brushed passed her shoulder and out the door.

Diana didn't look particularly hurt by the interaction, but Hannah lived with her long enough to know after a day like this, she wasn't going to show pain on her face anyway.

Hannah made her way over to the Witch whom she once thought was one of her best friends. "Hey Diana."

"Hello, Hannah."

Diana, obviously, didn't look any more conversational than Amanda did, But Hannah had known Diana for years, and if she was going to be honest, she had much more experience with a sullen and emotionally-distant Diana than an open one.

Hannah rubbed her arm. "So how is…Akko doing…?"

Diana was quiet for a moment, but whether she was weighing her words for Hannah's sake or her own, it was impossible to say.

"It's…a bit touch and go with her right now." Diana said. "She's having a difficult time even talking about it at the moment. Even if she didn't have this…this _thing_ crawling around in her head, I doubt anyone could blame her for not knowing how to process this."

"No kidding…"

"I came down to see if I couldn't find her something to eat. I highly suspect she hasn't eaten properly since before we…" Diana trailed off. "…some food and water should help ground her more, at least."

"Sorry Amanda just brushed you off like that."

Diana sighed. "I suppose it's fine. Trust me, after our debacle with the Horologium Room, it's clear she's never been one to vent when she's frustrated. I'm sorry she's brushing _you_ off."

"What? She hasn't."

Diana blinked. "No?"

"No. We were talking just now. And then…well, Wangari came over and now she's mad again…"

"…Really?" Diana's brows furrowed. "Usually when she's like this, it's a chore getting her to even talk to Jasminka until she finds a way to let out some steam. It's…rare to see her confide in someone."

"I-it's not _that_ rare." Hannah said. "You guys are way better friends than I am with her, aren't you? She talks to you guys all the time! Doesn't she…?"

Diana opened her mouth to speak, but quickly thought better of it. "I…I need to get back as soon as I can. I know Ursula can handle it just fine, but…"

"N-no, no. Go ahead, Diana. Let me know if you need any help."

"Yes." Diana said blankly. "If…if I manage to find anything…sooner than not, then I'll let you know, I assure you."

As Diana made her way to the service counter, Hannah found her gaze drifting yet again.

Diana had changed so much. The best friend she _thought_ she had in her was never even a person. Just an idealistic image in her head. She hadn't ever understood that until now. For whatever reason, she felt like all the eyes in the cafeteria were on her, judging her for daring to speak outside of her clique.

Still though…

She wondered how much that feeling had ever stopped Amanda…

* * *

Diana took far longer to pick her food than she normally did, and when she finally came out, her tray was full of sweets and high-fiber meals, along with more than one bottle of water.

Comfort food, Hannah noted.

She hoped it was just Diana being overprotective, and not a sign. Hannah wisely chose not to ask. Diana was far too eager to get away from the crowded lunchroom in the first place.

Unfortunately, she only got so far before both of them were gently stopped. "Pardon the interruption, Miss Cavendish." Finnelan called out.

She was standing with her fellow professor Badcock, and the two of them were rapidly double-checking a list of names in the latter's hands.

"You monitored the first half of Miss Kagari's detention in the mirror lockup, didn't you?" Finnelan asked. "We…would like to perform a quick checkup on you, if you don't mind."

"Check for what, exactly?" Diana said, the slightest hint of impatience in her voice.

"We just wish to make sure no one else suffered any ill effects from our mirrors." Badcock said. "We should check you too while you're here, Miss England."

Finnelan, somewhat uncertainly, whispered an incantation to her wand, and cast the same spell Croix had done in the lab. A hand stretched out and plucked a seed from Diana's forehead, and it reached over and did the same to Hannah.

And suddenly, two holographic plants manifested in midair before them. The professors wasted no time in scrutinizing them, muttering to each other about signs that Professor Ursula had told them to look for. Diana hardly even looked. She simply huffed.

But Hannah was almost transfixed. Her own magic signature was a fairly simple looking plant, devoid of any of the foreign magic seen in the one in the lab. The branches were slightly denser, and the overall size was just a bit bigger, just a bit fuller.

Diana's signature, in terms of its size and its density, dwarfed both Hannah's _and_ Akko's. Any evidence of rot had long since been cleaned up, and the blooming, ethereal branches in the top face proudly displayed Diana's heritage as Beatrix's descendent.

It made Hannah's look almost…nondescript.

Finnelan, however, was at least satisfied with how the signatures looked. She dispelled the incantation, set a hand over her heart, and let out a sigh of relief. "It looks like you two are clean and healthy, thank the stars. I apologize for forcing you two to do that. I don't fully… _agree_ with this spell, but it's the only way we have to make sure."

"Very well." Diana said. "But I hardly believed Hannah or I would've been infected in the first place. Not without us knowing, at least."

"You've always been capable, yes." Finnelan admitted. "But you must also understand we're working to better understand this case. Rest assured, Luna Nova will do everything in our power to ensure this doesn't happen again."

Badcock adjusted her glasses with a small grimace. "Miss Kagari may be a terrible troublemaker on even the best of days, but she is still nonetheless a student of this academy. What happened to her under my watch was completely unacceptable."

Finnelan nodded. "And on that note, should either of you happen to see Priscilla, Alice, or Xiaolei, could you please tell them to come see one of us as soon as possible? According to the check-in sheet, they were the last students to enter the lockup, besides you and Miss Kagari."

Badcock checked her list. "I _believe_ that should be the last of them. Well…it says here that Rachel checked in, but that was in the beginning of May…She hasn't seemed unwell in the last month, but…perhaps we should double check?"

"It would be best to exercise caution, yes." Finnelan said. "Perhaps what happened to Miss Kagari really _was_ an isolated incident. If we should only be so lucky."

"Wait." Diana called out to Finnelan before she could walk away. "Have you truly not found out anything more about…?"

Finnelan looked at her a long moment. "…We're doing everything we can."

As the two professors left to try and take as many belated precautionary measures as they could, Diana and Hannah were left to read between the lines of everything they had said. With several professors leaving for the summer holidays, they were simply spread too thin to be much help on an individual case. Not when they needed to ensure another crisis hadn't started to brew.

Diana watched the two leave, and slowly turned. "Hannah…" She started. "When she told you and Amanda about…her dreams, did she…did she mention why didn't want to tell…me?"

Hannah bit her lip. "I-it was a few days ago, Diana. I don't really remember _what_ exactly she said."

Diana's pained expression spoke volumes. "…so I see. Thank you."

She tightened her fingers around the food tray in her hands, and walked out the same way she had come in, and Hannah was left alone, watching her friends pass her by.

She really had thought things had started to work out. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she was going to be part of the group again, finally rejoin Diana and Barbara. She was going to _be_ _something_ with Amanda.

The Nine of them all had a friendship forged in fire, after all. The problem with those seemingly inseparable bonds being, once that spark started to flicker, hope seemed to go with it too.

Unsure what else to do, she found herself drifting over to Sarah's table. She used to be friends with Avery, in particular. At least, her and Barbara did. Whenever they weren't singing Diana's praises, they used to hang out.

She had barely spoken to her since…pretty much the Noir Missile Crisis. This whole year, she had been too surrounded by people to have any energy left to see her old acquaintances. Maybe seeing old friends would make her feel better.

"Hey Hannah." Avery smiled as Hannah sat with them. "Long time no see."

"Yeah, been a while." Chloe said. "I don't even see you hanging off Diana's arm these days. Did you finally move on from her?"

Hannah managed a small smile. "…Maybe the other way around, actually. Diana's changed a lot, you know."

"Not _enough_ , if you ask me."

Sarah perked up. "Hey Hannah! I saw you two talking with the news guys before! It's not true what they're saying, is it? About this curse?"

"I don't really know much about it." Hannah said, surprised how honest the statement was. "So I can't…really tell you guys much. Maybe it's better that I not say anything."

"Aw, c'mon!" Sarah pleaded. "I'm worried! I wanna know!"

Avery snorted. "Sarah's just freaking out because she's part of the Nine New Witches fanclub."

Hannah blinked.

"I'm not fangirling!" Sarah said. "Oh! Is Croix back on campus? She's part of the Nine New Witches too, right? Did she come back?"

Hannah herself made a big deal of the title, but that was because she interacted with at least seven of them on a daily basis. Hearing the name come from someone else was strange.

"How'd you hear about that name, anyway?"

Sarah shrugged. "I dunno where I heard it from, but I know I heard it. I mean it's kind of a big deal, right? Magic used to be declining forever and then just suddenly it's not. I never thought I'd get to see it happen when _I_ was going to school!"

"Big deal is underselling it." Gaëlle said shortly. "The opening of the Grand Triskellion is probably the most significant event in magic history since the Grand Triskellion being _sealed_ hundreds of years ago. This entire thing is completely unprecedented."

Chloe let out a scoff. "And it's just _galling_ that Diana and a bunch of goofballs like the Red Team would be the ones to do it."

Hannah grimaced. "What's _that_ supposed to mean, Chloe?"

"I'm just saying, they're _always_ sticking their noses in everything, right? The reason everyone knows it's Akko is because it's _always_ Akko."

"Hey!" Hannah narrowed her eyes. "She's a total moron, but at least she tries, right? And you're just mad that Diana's got a big title and you don't!"

"I…!" Chloe turned red. "I am _not_ jealous of…of Diana Cavendish!"

Avery was shocked. "Wait, wait. Back up a second. Hannah, are you _defending_ Kagari right now?"

"W-well…yeah!" Hannah said. "It's not like _I_ could do half the stuff she did. And I know what she went though, because I'm the one who put her through like half of it last year."

"Didn't you _hate_ her?" Avery challenged. "You were the one who talked about how Luna Nova admitting her meant they were lowering their standards, now you're on her side?"

Gaëlle shrugged. "She _is_ hurt right now. Wouldn't be right to make fun of someone wounded."

"No!" Hannah couldn't believe her ears. "That's not it at all! Tell me I didn't honestly used to think like that!"

Sarah pursed her lips. "You were…pretty nasty, back in the day." She told her. "Honestly, in _my_ opinion, the fact that Diana never put a stop to you and Barbara kinda made some people think you might've…had a point."

"…Well…well that's got to change!" Hannah declared. "Barb's a _great_ person now! She and Lotte are practically best friends! I see Sucy and Amanda and everyone like every day! And for your information, I want to see Akko to get better, because I owe her a _big_ apology."

The words had spilled from her lips before she even fully thought them. When she had finished, she found herself looking at four different reactions to her sudden confession. Gaëlle and Chloe were looking at her curiously. Avery's jaw had dropped. And Sarah was smiling ear to ear.

"…I gotta go help out." Hannah realized. "I…I'll see you guys later! I gotta go, like now!"

Why in the world was she wasting time here? She needed to go see Amanda. She needed to help Barbara, help Lotte and Jasminka. She needed to see what Sucy and Constanze and Croix needed.

But more importantly than that, _Amanda_ needed to see _her._

"Wait!" Sarah called out. "What about the rumors? Please tell me if anyone got hurt because of some curse!"

Hannah started towards the door. "If anyone asks, tell them…"

She wasn't ever going to be one of the Nine New Witches. She was too much of a coward, too much of a follower. Quite simply, she wasn't cut out for greatness.

But if being Diana's roommate, falling in love with Amanda, and watching nine unassuming witches save the world she thought she commanded, taught her anything, greatness was often misunderstood.

Greatness needed someone to speak for it. And if there was one thing Hannah could do, it was to tell the world where to look and who to look for.

"…Tell them the Nine New Witches got it covered!"

* * *

 _A.N. Well, that hiatus wasn't_ really _my plan, but it actually came at a rather nice point. I suppose in some ways you can think of this as the start of a season 2 for this story. Tentatively sitting on a final chapter count of twenty for this, but that's the long estimate._

 _Next Time, "Brain Storming Part II" I…got a little out of hand with the Hamanda interactions, and it's…probably not okay to start back in with a 10k chapter, so…! Next time, still more Hamanda! And maybe another couple for good measure?_


	12. Brain Storming Part II

Headmistress Holbrooke gazed out her office window a few moments longer, before turning to face the girl standing before her desk. "Well, Miss Kagari!" She said, with a kind smile. "It seems you've managed to worry quite a few people, haven't you?"

Akko's only response was to let out a small sigh. In some ways, it was an odd feeling for her, to wish she could be smaller.

She didn't exactly want to think about how badly everything had gone down in the lab, with her friends. By now, she wasn't sure she wanted to think about anything, given how tired she was. She could barely even remember how she got here.

Holbrooke hobbled over to her desk and took her seat, her gentle expression never once faltering. "You seem to have already developed a nose for trouble, despite not being at this academy very long at all. It really is quite the feat, isn't it?"

"…why am I here, Headmistress?"

"Hmm…" Holbrooke pensively rubbed at her chin. "Why don't _you_ tell me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Indulge me for a moment, if you will. What made you choose to attend Luna Nova, some months ago?"

Akko's brows furrowed. "But...why? What does that have to do with-?"

"Everyone has a reason to be here at this fine academy. A destiny of sorts, a specific cause they've chosen to study and work for. And I believe I should like to hear what your answer is. Why are you here, Miss Kagari?"

There was a knowing glint in Holbrooke's eye, but there was no telling what that implied. Akko couldn't imagine what the headmistress's point was with such a question, or what exactly she was supposed to tell her that she didn't already know.

Especially because, by this point, everyone knew her answer to that. When Akko had first started, she had stubbornly shouted it from the rooftops, without a care who heard it or what they thought, because she had felt in her heart that it was right.

A year and a half had colored the passion, somewhat, but she could still feel the pull nonetheless.

"…I want to make people happy, like Shiny Chariot did for me." Akko said. "I came here to become a witch just like her, the kind who can share her magic with the world to make people smile. Making people happy like that has always been my dream."

Without warning, the office door suddenly burst open.

"Well, _I_ for one am _not_ happy!" Professor Finnelan snapped at her.

Akko jumped at the professor's sudden appearance, though Holbrooke was unsurprised, as though she had been expecting her to barge in at some point. And trailing into the office just behind Finnelan was Professor Ursula.

Ursula brushed a lock of blue hair behind her glasses. The woman looked too sad to meet Akko's eye.

Not that she had been given much time to look. Finnelan was red with anger and rigid with frustration, and no sooner had she stepped into the office did she make a point of cornering Akko where the stunned girl stood.

"And why _should_ I be happy?" Finnelan dared her to speak. "In the short time since we so graciously allowed your admission, you have been nothing but a _drain_ on this fine academy! If it's not one mess with you, it's another!"

"But...I didn't even do anything wrong this time!" Akko said. "It wasn't my-!"

"You better not have been saying what I _think_ you're saying!" Finnelan drowned out her voice. "How many disasters that befell this academy happened because of _you?_ How many times has your attempts to help landed you and your friends in detention?"

Akko winced. "I...b-but that wasn't…"

Holbrooke tutted at the exchange. "Don't interrupt, Miss Kagari. Let Professor Finnelan speak."

"It might be one thing if your grades could counteract it, but you haven't seemed to improve one but since you first attended! There's a constant spreading stain on Luna Nova's once sterling reputation, and it has _your_ name written all over it!"

"I have _too_ improved!" Akko felt her face flushing. "I can...w-when I first started, I…"

She found herself blanking under the older woman's sharp glare, unable to say exactly how and when she truly improved. She looked to Ursula for help, but once more, Ursula wouldn't even meet her eye.

Finnelan crossed her arms with an air of finality. "I've frankly had _enough_ of coddling this attitude of yours. This discussion over your expulsion is long overdue."

Akko felt a shaking sensation on her arm.

"W-wait…you're expelling…?"

Holbrooke nodded evenly. "We don't wish to rush into anything rash, but simply put, we don't have room for hangers-on in this academy. And if you even can't convince us you're worth the time and energy we're putting into your education…"

"But…" Akko stuttered. "But I…! I didn't…!"

Holbrooke solemnly shook her head. "After so many incidents and insubordinations, we simply can't take your word for it anymore. But what of _your_ thoughts, Professor Ursula? I'd like the decision to be unanimous."

It was only then that Ursula looked her way. Her face was carefully blank, but there was an undeniable conflict in her eyes, a deep-seated sadness that she knew, somewhere in the back of her mind, that Ursula shouldn't have in this moment.

It only took a few seconds for her to speak. But Akko would've sworn it was longer.

"Well…I've tried my best to mentor her…but I just…I don't think there's anything else I can do. I'm sorry to say, but maybe she really is just...a lost cause."

Akko's breath was stolen away. "U-Ursula…?"

The shaking sensation on her arm manifested itself again, but her chest felt too tight for her to pay it any attention.

Holbrooke utterly ignored the pain etched on the girl's features, speaking over the top of her head to Ursula with a contemplative little hum. "You truly don't think she has _any_ room for improvement?"

"It was a gamble from the start…" Ursula admitted. "I wish it had turned out better, but I suppose...some girls just aren't meant to be witches."

Akko pinched her eyes shut. "N-not you too…" She moaned. "Y-you can't...mean that. That isn't what you're supposed to say here..."

Ursula sighed, and bent down to set her hand on the young girl's shoulder. "Oh Akko…" She solemnly shook her head. "Have you ever _really_ made anyone happy?"

She tried to close her ears to it and shut the world out, tried to will the world to be the way it was supposed to be. The world where she received praise from Pisces and Holbrooke after her summer exams, where Ursula defended her from Finnelan.

She was either trying that, or trying to will the rest of the world to be still and away. The shaking sensation on her arm grew stronger, and stronger, until her entire upper body was jerked around.

And then the world jolted.

"Akko, wake up!" Ursula called out, fervently shaking her by the arm. "You need to snap out of it! Please, _wake up!_ "

Akko's eyes snapped open.

In an instant as she was yanked from her nightmare, everything had changed. Holbrooke's office was gone. It had never been there in the first place. She was outside, in a quiet corner of campus, underneath a tall, shady tree.

Ursula brushed a lock of red hair behind her glasses. She carefully stood by as Akko breaths grew less and less frantic. "It's okay, you're alright now. Just breath, in and out. That's it. You're doing fine."

Akko's throat was dry. "W-what…? Pr…Professor Ursula...?"

"Just calm down." Ursula said, gently setting her hands on the girl's trembling shoulders. "It's me. You're not dreaming anymore. You're safe."

Akko swallowed in an attempt to wet her throat, and tried to take in the shift of surroundings. She knew how she got here, at least. She remembered the professor guiding here out here after they had left the lab, all just to give her some much needed space away from everyone else.

She pushed herself upwards from the tree to try and sit up straight. "What happened? I don't…"

Ursula let out a sigh of relief, hand over her heart. "You had me so worried. You were being so quiet, and then you suddenly dozed off like that. Are you okay now? Do you need another minute?"

"…no." Akko shook her head. "I...I think I'm fine. You woke me up…?"

"As soon as I noticed." Ursula said. "Do you need some water? Diana left to go get you some food. She should be back any minute now."

"I'm...fine." Akko lied.

She doubted Ursula truly believed her, but the professor thankfully didn't fight her on it. "I'm sorry you had another nightmare. But it's over now, sweetie. It's okay."

Akko's chest tightened at the pet name. It was too soon. Too soon after for her to know how to react to Ursula's almost motherly kindness.

And yet, as Ursula studied the expression stitched across her face, she seemed to understand that as well. "The dream you had…was it about me?"

"Professor Ursula I am _so_ sorry! I wasn't trying to-!"

Ursula gently shushed her. "It was just a dream. It wasn't real. The Ursula you saw wasn't real. There's nothing to be sorry for."

Akko just quietly hugged her knees to her chest, unable to meet the redhaired professor's gaze.

"Hey." Ursula cooed. "No one's mad. I'm not mad. You're not with that Ursula in your nightmare right now. You're with me."

"I know...but I'm still sorry though."

"Well…would you like to tell me a bit about your dream?"

Akko snapped up. "What?"

"You don't have to force yourself if you're not comfortable." Ursula assured her. "But sometimes, sharing it with someone makes it seem a little easier. And it's better than keeping it all bottled up by yourself, after all!"

As awful as the nightmare was, the thought of having to repeat it, to throw it back in Ursula's face when she was being so loving, felt even worse.

"...Do we... _have_ to talk about it? I don't like thinking about this kinda thing…"

"I know it's hard." Ursula brushed the hair from her eyes. "But I think not talking about it, about all these things...wasn't the right decision. You're not expected to go through everything you've been through unaffected. You're not even 17 yet, Akko."

"I didn't want _everyone_ to know, Ursula…" Akko sighed. "I just…I wanted to get this fixed quick, not get everyone I know involved. A-and I thought they'd be _mad_ if they found out, but everyone's just…"

Ursula bent down to look her in the eye, taking the girl by her shoulders.

"…You're one of the strongest girls I've ever met. You've grown up so much since you first came here, and you've been through more than you _ever_ should have to. And if I had been a better professor, or a better wielder of the Shiny Rod, I would've done more to shield you. And for that, I'm sorry."

Ursula blinked away whatever emotion she was feeling, leveling Akko with a serious expression.

"But feeling sorry isn't a luxury we _have_ right now. And it wouldn't solve anything even if we did. So as much it pains me to ask…I have to ask you to be strong for me again. For just a little while longer."

"…What am I supposed to do?"

"For right now, you need to focus on what's real. These aren't your nightmares. No matter how difficult it is to let people in right now...I need you to let us help you. And we can't do that if you're fighting us."

"I…don't know if I can…"

"All I'm asking is that you try. Can you do that for me?"

It took Akko a long moment to find the resolve to nod.

Ursula's face melted into a soft smile. Akko blinked in surprise as she felt the professor's arms wrap around her and pull her in close.

"Brave girl. You make me so proud."

Diana returned not long after, having brought a small tray from the cafeteria for her. And Akko had to admit, small as the gesture was, she was touched.

Ursula cast a pensive glance towards the Luna Nova Tower. "Um...w-would you mind terribly if I go check on Croix? I'm sure she has good news for us by now!"

"Yeah, that's fine."

Ursula left, confident that Diana could take care of things in her absence.

Again, Akko's heart filled with an uplifting gratefulness towards the professor, her idol and her mentor. Yet there were so many other emotions mixing in with that, almost corrupting it. Diana's eyes sent a delicate look her way as she sat down, one that broke through her carefully maintained mask.

Diana was looking at her like she was fragile, breakable.

She loved Ursula and Diana, simply for being willing to be there when she felt so awful. But she couldn't deny she felt like she was being a burden on them. On everyone else, all her friends who all now seemed to be looking at her that way.

And she had no idea how to tell how much of that was the parasite tampering with her emotions, and how much of that was truly _her_ , her own thoughts and her own emotions.

' _So how am I supposed to focus on what's real…?_ '

* * *

Akko didn't think she would've been hungry, and she certainly didn't feel like eating. But seeing the tray full of food in front of her made her acutely aware of how her mind and her body were once again at odds.

She was starving, and undercooked cafeteria food had never tasted quite so good as it did right now. She had scarfed down everything, and she was on her second bottle of water when Diana spoke up.

"Okay, slow down a little." Diana lightly reprimanded. "However glad I am to see you eating a proper meal, I don't need to see you choke yourself, you silly girl."

Akko finished the last of the tarts. "That was a proper meal?"

Diana only let a little of her embarrassment show through her smile. "…Well, I might've taken a few more sweets than usual. I don't mind being indulgent once in a while. How do you feel?"

The word 'fine' was almost past Akko's lips before she stopped it. She didn't want to hide anything from Diana anymore. "…I'm not sure." She admitted. "Mostly, I feel…lousy. But I'm kinda grateful too. It's all sorta…jumbled together, if that makes sense."

Diana settled in against the tree next to her, making it clear she was willing to listen to vent and ramble. "How so?"

Akko turned the water bottles Diana had brought her over in her hands. "It's kind of amazing, in a way, what you're doing here, and Ursula and everyone else. They're all doing so much just to help _me_. And I want to find a way to pay them back."

"Perhaps I can't speak for anyone else, but the only thanks I need from you is to see you get better."

"But there's gotta be something I can do!" Akko argued. "We gotta go out and…and _find_ something. Maybe Croix needs help in her lab, or…or m-maybe I can go get some sorta...magical artifact that could solve this!"

"Hold on!" Diana said, grabbing her sleeve before she could go anywhere. "You need to help yourself before you're in a condition to help anyone else."

"I mean, sitting around here _talking_ isn't gonna help anybody! You're always saying a proper witch needs to push her limits, right?"

Diana frowned. "That isn't remotely what I meant when I said that."

Akko flushed. "I…I know! But I _have_ to do something, Diana! I can't just…just…!"

"It's sweet of you to be concerned, but this was all just an awful accident. You have no obligation to prove yourself right now. And you need to keep your stress levels down in the first place."

With a small defeated sigh, Akko let herself be pulled back. It wasn't like she truly had the energy to run out and do something, and the _last_ thing she wanted was another nightmare. As much as she wanted to argue it, she had to concede Diana was right.

"...You know, just telling someone not be stressed out doesn't really help…"

"Believe me, I know the feeling." Diana nodded. "But being aware of your condition is important. The more I can do to help you, the better."

An empty chuckle escaped Akko's throat. "C-can I be honest with you, Diana?"

In response, Diana shifted closer to her. "Always."

"...I hate this." Akko admitted. "I hate this, and I feel bad that I hate it."

Diana tilted her head. "Hate what, exactly?"

"Just…this!" Akko threw her arms out, gesturing to everything and nothing at once. "Everyone feels so worried and guilty and awful and it's all because I couldn't clean a stupid mirror right. This _sucks,_ Diana!"

"Everyone's only worried because they care about you. That's the same reason why Ursula and everyone else is working so hard to fix this."

"I care about them too! And there's nothing I can do…"

Diana was visibly confused, but the tightly-wound demeanor of the Cavendish heiress softened into just _her_ , just a girl desperate to understand someone she loved. "I thought you'd like to take it easy for a change. Why are you fighting me so hard on this?"

The change made it impossible for Akko to dance around it any longer. "...did it hurt _you_ , that I didn't tell you about this earlier?"

"…How I felt isn't-"

"Diana." Akko said. "I want to know."

The girl was stricken. Diana's features cycled through one emotion after another. Some that wanted to be honest, and some that wanted to put the mask back on and hide. It took a long while for one to win over the other.

"Y-yes." Diana finally admitted, in a low voice. "I thought…I don't know _what_ I thought. But of course it hurt, being the last one to find out what happened to you."

Akko hugged her knees to her chest. "I'm sorry. I _wanted_ to say something, before it got so bad. I even tried, once or twice. But for a while, I just...I felt like I couldn't."

"…I was going to wait, until after we removed this parasite from your head. But…I want to know why. Why go through the effort to hide it, just from me? Was it...something I did?"

"No. Of course not. You were never anything but the nicest to me this whole time. Even when you were busy, you still tried to help me."

"Then...what?"

Akko ran a hand through her hair with a small sigh. "…Do you remember how I that dream about the party in Andrew's house, where I talked to a memory of you?"

"Yes. You skimmed over the details, but I remember."

Akko swallowed, and all but had to force herself to speak.

"I was so _scared_ when I first saw you in that dream...because in all these nightmares, I just keep losing everything. My friends, my magic, everything I ever did. So…I couldn't let the nightmares get to you. Losing you would hurt too much."

Diana bit her lip. Her eyes were searching, unsure of how to take that. "…But…it was a nightmare. No matter what that creature does to your memories of me, it won't change how _I_ feel."

"I don't know if I know what's real anymore, Diana. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm even really awake. But I...I know that I need you with me. Just…thinking of you kept me going, even as bad as it got. I _need_ you."

"I…" Diana ran a hand through her hair, her cheeks coloring. "You really needed... _me?_ "

"I really do love you, Diana." Akko confessed. "A-and…I know it wasn't right, not telling you sooner, but you were too important…I couldn't risk letting the nightmares get to you."

Diana let out a sharp intake of breath. "Akko..."

"I know that's sort of silly. But…that's what you always call me, right? Akko, you silly girl." With a sad, empty sigh, Akko hung her head down. "…these nightmares always hurt. But losing _you?_ I don't think I could bounce back from that…"

Diana suddenly shifted from where she had been sitting, until she was kneeling in front. Akko felt her fingers gently brush against her cheeks.

"M-may I…?"

No sooner was the question past her lips did she begin leaning forward to meet Akko's own. Akko's heart skipped a beat, and she eagerly closed the gap and met her halfway.

The world didn't stop or fade away, like it so often did for true love's kisses in stories. The weight and the worries did not disappear. But for them, and for her, it just no longer seemed to matter.

The flowery, fragrant scent of Diana's hair. The firmness of her lips, and the soft hums that escaped them. The touch of her hand as it drifted down her cheek to rest on her shoulder. It filled her senses, filled _her_ , like nothing else had.

Just to feel her here. To have her when everything felt so overwhelming.

Diana pulled away first, and she looked at Akko like she was most wonderful thing she had seen in her life. "This…" She breathed hotly against Akko's lips. "...this is real. _I'm_ real. And...I swear, I'm not going anywhere."

"Diana…"

Diana, flushed and rosy cheeked, settled back against the tree, her shoulder pressed up against Akko's own. "I wish there was more I could do to help you feel better…I care about you too much to pretend not to worry."

"I know." Akko whispered. "I just wish you didn't have to."

"I suppose...despite all that we talked about, you still feel like there's something there, something broken you need to fix?"

"Yeah."

Diana nodded. "...Me too."

She didn't know where to go from here. She wished she could shake away this vulnerable feeling she had. But having Diana's hand in hers, then and there, made her feel a little more okay with it.

* * *

They had sat there, in a comfortable silence for quite a while, when Lotte had eventually run over to greet them.

"Hi Diana." And then, much more softly. "Hi Akko."

There was that delicate, fragile look again, just behind her glasses. Akko averted her eyes.

"I was just on my way back to Croix's lab…w-well, I guess it's not _her_ lab anymore, but…t-the point is, Jasminka wanted to know if you two wanted to come…?"

Diana of course, said yes. She had no intention to be left in the dark again.

But Akko had said no. "I think I just…need to take a walk or something. Standing around in an old, musty lab for so long is gonna make me conk out again."

Diana frowned. "I-if you sure…?"

Akko nodded. "I'm not gonna do anything reckless. I promise. I just need to think for a minute, that's all."

And fortunately, Diana trusted her enough to leave it at that.

Akko had indeed gone for a walk, all the way around the edge of campus. But she quickly doubled back to the Tower on her own, once she was sure Diana and Lotte were already there.

As quietly as she could, she sneaked up the stairs and hid behind the doorway to the lab. She could hear the voices inside, still unaware of her being here on her own. She carefully peaked her head around the corner. Everyone, save for Amanda and Hannah, had indeed gathered there.

Croix looked to be at the end of her rope, and her exhausted groan only confirmed it. The simulation of Akko's mana diagram, still playing on loop in the center of the lab, was still nothing but a puzzle to all of them, no matter how much poking and prodding she did to it.

The parasite was still pulsating right on its perch at the diagram's core. It was hard for her not to make a sound at it.

"Constanze." Croix turned. The little German witch looked up from her laptop. "Reapply all filters and play it from the start."

Constanze grunted, and dutifully typed in a command on her keyboard. All the branches that had once been shaking off, the marks of Woodward and Beatrix, the remnants of Dream Fuel Spirit, reappeared.

They had marked the parasite in the simulation, now making it visible through the foliage. And yet, it still didn't seem to make any sort of solution clearer.

"Okay…" Croix looked at the holographic plant. "So maybe...we can...use a magic nullification spell, turn off the kid's magic, and then starve the parasite to death, and it'll fall out on its own!"

"...Does a nullification spell actually work like that?" Sucy asked.

There was a pregnant pause.

Croix threw up her arms. "That's it. I'm out of ideas."

Ursula was pacing with worry. "That doesn't sound like the Croix I know."

Croix snorted. "Don't know who _you've_ been talking to. I've always been the fatalist. Because here I go again, from one incurable ailment right to the-"

Her gaze got caught on the parasite in the mana diagram. More specifically, the way it was pulsating.

"...Wait." Croix quickly turned around. "Constanze, keep all filters on, but replay the simulation at quarter speed."

Diana eagerly stepped forward. "Did you find something?"

"I don't know yet. But...look at the way it moves right here, around this specific branch. This _could_ be nothing, but…"

Akko perked up, if only slightly. Despite her trying to downplay it, from the tinge of hope in Croix's normally sullen voice, it sounded like they may have truly stumbled upon something worthwhile. Perhaps even having discovered some sort of solution.

She wanted to step out and join them, to encourage Croix and hope for the best. She was sure that was what Ursula's advice meant. To be strong, and confront everyone again, to stop hiding like this and face her fears.

She was tired of all the separation that had sprung up between them. She missed having her friends on her side, and _knowing_ they were on her side.

She wanted to take Ursula's advice to heart. She wanted to rejoin her friends, to have things go back to normal. She wanted to encourage Croix and feel hopeful. She wanted to help find a way to fix this so she could get better.

She wanted to get better.

"I don't understand what I'm looking at." Diana crossed her arms. "But if you think you have an idea…"

Croix shrugged, feigning indifference. "I don't know if we should break out the parades just yet. Give me a little time to look into this, but...yeah. I do think I might have the beginning of a plan here…"

"T-that's great!" Lotte grinned. "Even just having an idea about this makes me feel a little calmer!"

She wanted to join them, but the truth was Akko couldn't be strong right now.

She couldn't bring herself to cut into this hopeful moment. She wasn't strong enough to go in there, and have everyone fret and worry over her. And she was scared of how it would feel to have that happen, after how badly she had misjudged them, how she _thought_ they might react, once everyone was in on the secret.

She wanted to get better, but the first step was too steep.

So Akko didn't take it.

She turned away, retreating from the lab, back into the academy and into the nearest washroom because she felt like she needed to be somewhere secluded and away from the rest of the world.

The washroom's dim lights somehow felt overly bright. And the flat tiled floor felt uneven.

Her grip was tight around the porcelain sink, trying desperately to steady herself and stay upright. She wondered if she was going to throw up, or start crying again, or both.

Perhaps she should've known better to look at her reflection again, but her eyes drifted upwards to the washroom mirror. She had been avoiding mirrors for days now.

Her hair was a mess. There were dark bags under her eyes. Her face was red and puffy. She looked disgusting. She hadn't truly had a good night's sleep in over a week, and she looked disgusting.

' _What happened to me…?_ '

She used to pride herself on her ability to bounce back, to be the optimist and find the silver lining. She used to feel so _sure_ of what she was here to do. And now she ran away because she was _scared_ of seeing her friends.

' _I don't want Diana to be sad because of me. I don't want people to look at me and just see this curse…_ '

For a brief moment, gazing into the mirror, she wondered if this wasn't the realest depiction of herself. Not a witch, but a downtrodden, pitiable girl who wasn't more than her scars.

And Akko's expression hardened into something more like steel.

' _No._ ' She decided. ' _I won't let them.'_

She yanked her sleeve down, exposing the fading red scratch etched down the length of her forearm.

She all but tore the wand from its loops on her belt. Her voice was breathless as she recited the healing incantation.

"Media Soluare."

The emerald tinted healing light was cold as it coiled around the damaged skin. With nothing more than a flash, the last physical shred of evidence of her dream in Arcturus disappeared, leaving pale, healthy flesh.

"Media Soluare!"

With renewed strength in her voice, the icy burst of healing magic coursed throughout her body. The scabbed skin of her knee was repaired in an instant. Every ugly bruise, every scratch and blemish met the same treatment, never to be seen by anyone again.

She stared defiantly at her own reflection, trying to look at herself with eyes outside her own, trying to see what the rest of the world would see.

Then she closed her eyes, and yanked out the small hairband holding up her ponytail.

As her loosened hair fell down the length of her back, her fist tightened, and the energy swirling at tip of her wand condensed and ignited into a sharp blade.

She reached up just behind the nape of her neck, bunching her hair together with one hand and positioning the blade underneath with the other. She hesitated, just for a moment, before she opened her eyes to face the mirror once more.

And in a single swift motion, long brunette locks were sent cascading to the floor.

* * *

 _A.N. I got so many blessed comments last chapter, I just wanted to thank you all!_

… _Which makes me feel a wee bit bad that the last description was inaccurate, but I didn't wanna diminish Amanda and Hannah's development to a bit part. I figure with 20 chapters, we got room to breathe, and it works better where it is now anyway._

 _Anyway, next time! "Light Headed" Does this count as doing something reckless or…?_


	13. Light Headed

Croix Meridies strolled to the front of the lab to address the rest of them, and her voice carried a strange certainty that Diana had not heard in her back in East Mogiana.

"Alright everyone, listen up. Here's the plan."

She nodded to Constanze, and the student dutifully enlarged the simulation of Akko's magic signature, until it easily occupied half of the barren room. The parasite was still firmly attached to the core. Diana, alongside Lotte, Sucy, Barbara, Jasminka, and Ursula listened eagerly as Croix spoke.

"At this stage, no normal curse remedy is going to fix this. This parasite is completely entangled in her subconscious, and is using her own magic against both her mind _and_ body. It needs to be untied internally, but by feeding off her stress, it's ensured any attempt of hers to fight back will simply make it stronger."

"Tell us something we don't know." Sucy drawled.

Croix ignored her, continuing in her stride. "The numerous counts of outside interference on her magic gave this parasite the perfect hiding place. However, that might have proved to be her salvation."

Croix gestured to the two branches atop the holographic plant that shined with an ethereal light, not seen anywhere else in the signature.

"These two branches…" She explained, "…are the marks left on her by Woodward and Beatrix. And look at how the parasite reacts to these branches as we play the simulation forward."

Croix borrowed Ursula's wand once more and fast forwarded the diagram. The parasite moved in much the same way it had when they first discovered it, still shifting and pulsating like a leech at the moment when Akko's stress had overwhelmed her, and Ursula had to excuse her.

But with the parasite marked visible through all the branches, the way it moved was even more striking. As it pulsated, it seemed to seep around and engulf any branch in its way...except as it got closer to the marks of Woodward and Beatrix. The moment it neared their light, the parasite twitched and recoiled.

"It's avoiding those parts…" Diana realized.

"Precisely." Croix smiled brilliantly. "Both of the enhancements placed on her by the Nine Olde Witches are defensive, protective in nature. Despite the parasite's best effort, it's going to take it much longer to bypass and infect those regions."

Constanze's Stanbot let out a shrill, disapproving noise. "Information is of no use! Akko's magic is not powerful enough on its own to provide sustainable defense for much longer!"

"That's true as well." Croix said, a rueful smirk sneaking up her cheek. "So the plan is _actually_ to reverse-engineer Dream Fuel Spirit."

If anyone's eyes had been wandering or studying the mana diagram, Croix's statement had just ensured they had all snapped to her.

Jasminka was the first one to voice the collective thought among the students. "You...want to do what?"

Even Ursula seemed unable to believe her ears. "Croix...what are you saying?"

"Dream Fuel Spirit converts dreaming energy into magic power, and used that to strengthen the Claiomh Solais. Ergo, we find a way do that process backwards…"

"We can strengthen the inherent magic of those marks…" Ursula finished. "But they _should_ be pretty powerful on their own, right? They're designed to protect her from the Shiny Rod's effects and curse of the Cavendish House. Those aren't exactly small feats…"

"They're deeply ingrained within her, but no, they're not inherently powerful. So what we need to do is amplify the marks left by the Nine Olde Witches to create a momentary surge of raw power."

"Amplify…?" Diana repeated in disbelief. "You want to tamper with the sacred magic of some of the most powerful and well-regarded magic users in recorded history. That's…"

More than a few words came to mind.

Heresy.

Blasphemous.

"…Impossible." Diana decided upon. "At least as far as I'm aware. So how do we ensure this works as intended?"

"It's...much easier said than done." Croix admitted. "It'll take a while to modify my old designs for Dream Fuel Spirit, so I'm going to need you all to gather the necessary materials for me in the meantime."

Ursula pursed her lips. "I don't suppose there's...any chance this might reverse…?"

Croix, already aware of where that train of thought was heading, shook her head and cut it off entirely. "It's not _that_ audacious. Even if it were possible to speed that process up, we don't have the time to do something so permanent."

Jasminka looked far more hopeful. "But this will at least get rid this leech thing permanently, right? As long as it works, I'm happy to help!"

"Like I said, this isn't an easy fix, but it's the best chance we have." Croix said. "This needs to be fixed internally. If we can create this surge of magic, that'll break the parasite's hold on her subconscious, and it should give her just long enough to eliminate it for good."

Diana frowned. "Should?"

Croix gave a curt nod. "You have to understand, this is all untested. If we had a month, there's ways we could remove this with much less risk, but at this rate, I'm not sure Akko has another _week_ left in her…"

The room fell silent. They all knew the situation was bleak, but quantifying Akko's fate, and with such a small number...

But Diana quickly masked away whatever emotion it had stirred within her. "That won't happen." She declared. "We have to find a way to make this work."

"I'm going to run what numbers I can." Croix said, borrowing an extra laptop from Constanze. "I can at least ensure a _few_ safeguards in this. This is my invention, after all…"

Ursula sighed. "I…suppose the rest of us just need to figure out what we'll need to try and outdo the witches who redefined magic…" Her eyes turned towards the rest of the room, and softened. "Though maybe you could _all_ use some sunshine. You've all been working hard all morning."

Diana's eyes narrowed. "I don't intend to leave."

"I'm not saying you _have_ to, but things can seem pretty hopeless if you get caught up in your own head. A break never hurts."

True to her word, Diana kept her feet planted as the rest of them, somewhat begrudgingly, trudged towards the door. She still had too many questions, and not enough answers to bring back yet. Besides, as difficult as it was, she _did_ need to trust Akko enough to give her space when she asked for it, and Diana wasn't sure where else she'd end up going if she left.

Constanze looked up at her as she passed. "Diana, confirm:" Her Stanbot asked. "You still wish to hold the surprise party?"

Diana crossed her arms. "...nothing is more important than Akko's safety, but the party remains on. I won't allow her to spend her special day suffering."

"But that's just six days!" Barbara exclaimed. "I totally believe in you guys and everything, but you said it yourself, you don't even know if this is _possible._ "

Lotte let out a weary groan, sounding like she wanted to be sick. "We're going to need a miracle…"

Croix grunted at the exchange. Her gaze drifted across the lab floor to an outline in the dust, where presumably a large, intricate machine once sat.

"In my experience, those are never around when you need them. So the only chance left is to make our own."

* * *

It hadn't actually taken Hannah very long to find Amanda. In fact, the only problem she had left was where Amanda _was_ , namely coasting on her broom several dozen stories up in the air.

Nelson had a designated airspace over Luna Nova's field for students to safely fly in without fear of injury or crashes, so of course Amanda was nowhere near that. Instead, she was looping and swerving over the uneven spires on top of the academy roof.

Quite a ways out of earshot, as Hannah had discovered. The only people her yelling brought over were almost everyone _besides_ the person she was calling. Which dashed away many of Hannah's hopes of getting a private moment of comfort and a romantic reunion with her crush. Now all she was getting was a crick in their neck as the seven of them watched Amanda fly illegally.

It might've been a familiar, comforting scene, all the teams together, mingling and talking like one big coven of friends. Had it not been for the foreboding sense weighing down on them, seeping through the conversation despite their best efforts, it might've been nice.

"…and that's basically where we're at now, just putting together a list of stuff we're gonna need." Barbara finished recapping for her. "I guess Diana decided to keep talking to Professor Ursula and Prof- er, Croix. They kicked the rest of us out so she could think."

Sucy looked far more indifferent than she likely felt. "And nothing better for thinking than Diana freaking out about Akko every three seconds."

Constanze grunted in agreement.

Hannah could only really shrug in response. "Well…see? I told you, Barb. I knew they'd be able to find something. Even if I don't…totally get it?"

She only vaguely understood Dream Fuel Spirit as a topic Diana and Akko liked to dance around, and she doubted the rest of it would've made much sense even if she had heard it straight from Croix instead.

With the uneasy silence resting over them once again, their eyes gradually drifted skyward to the tiny speck that was Amanda. She was doing a fairly harsh flip around the spires of the building. Hannah imagined it would've looked impressive up close.

"…I think all this waiting is the worst part…" Lotte mumbled. "I know we're making progress but…I wish it didn't feel so stop and start…"

"We did only find out about this parasite this morning." Sucy pointed out. "And it only took us a couple of hours to come up with anything."

"B-but still! How long do you think it'll take? I don't know how much more of this I can take..."

Hannah tried to remember her confident declaration in the cafeteria in the face of how...defeated everyone felt. "I'm sure you guys can do it! And there's enough of you here that you can totally fix...w-whatever this Dream Spirit thing you're talking about is!"

Even Sucy's frown deepened at the mention of it.

Jasminka nodded, but it came across as rather mechanical. "Thank you, Hannah. We'll try our best."

"So where's Akko right now, anyway?" Hannah asked. "I kind of got something I need to say to her…"

At the sound of approaching footsteps coming down the path to meet them, Barbara looked over. "Oh, speak of the…"

She trailed off, yet her mouth hung open all the same. As the rest of them turned to see what left Barbara speechless, none of them seemed quite able to believe it either.

Akko gave a small wave. "…hey guys."

"Oh my gosh…!" Lotte gasped. And a delighted smile spread across her face. "…your _hair!_ "

The blush creeped its way up Akko's cheeks under their stares.

Her once long brown hair had been cut _very_ short, barely even reaching down the entire length of her neck. It was a choppy and somewhat asymmetrical cut, hanging above her shoulders, though a bit too scruffy looking and frayed at its ends to truly be called a bob.

Lotte however, was absolutely enthralled by it. "Oh my gosh, look at you! You cut it so short! Wow!"

Sucy's eyes weren't exactly wide, but she was about as visibly surprised as she ever could be. "You really just lobbed _everything_ off, didn't you?"

Lotte leaned around to inspect the back. "Is it even longer than mine anymore? When did you even have time to get it cut?"

"Y-yeah, I just...I dunno." Akko rolled her neck, unused to how light her head felt. "It's actually feels a little funny. I haven't had this short since I was a little kid."

Hannah, while she _was_ working on it, still wasn't sure she could be considered Akko's friend. Even Barbara was closer than her, and it was clear that everyone but Hannah was almost overwhelmed to see her out and about once again. Happy, of course, but mixed in with anxiety and worry.

Hannah had enough distance to see that, as Akko brushed off compliments and questions, she seemed conflicted to be the center of that kind of attention. She wasn't _showing_ it, but Hannah had known Diana for years. She knew what it looked like when someone was wearing a mask.

"So!" Hannah said, loud enough to be heard over everyone else. "What brings _you_ out here now, and with a new haircut to boot?"

"I…" Akko shook her head. "L-look, um...I need to...say something. And it's...kind of important."

Lotte took a step back to give her some space, and the rest of them grew quiet. It didn't change the number of eyes on her, just where they were focused.

"I…w-well…" Akko bit her lip. "Um...I…know I haven't...really talked to you guys much lately, but...I..." She groaned at herself. "This is hard, okay? I'm such a screw up…"

"You don't have to force yourself to-" Lotte started, only to be interrupted.

"No, that's what I'm saying." Akko said. "…I've screwed up a _lot_ lately. More than I usually do. You all are doing a lot to help me, and I kept ignoring you, and I wouldn't listen, and I…don't think I've been a good friend, and…I'm not gonna screw up with you guys anymore."

The sound she let out fell somewhere between a sigh and an exhale. For someone who usually wore her heart on her sleeve, she was making a concentrated effort to be more level.

"So I just need to say, I'm sorry for making you…" Akko paused. "…thank you guys, for still being my friend."

Akko shyly opened her arms, a little unsure. But Lotte didn't waste a second accepting the invitation, and pulled her roommate in for a tight embrace.

"Well, what are best friends for?" Lotte said with a squeeze.

Akko practically melted into the hug. After a tender moment, Akko's hand lifted from Lotte's back and reached out to pull Sucy in as well.

Sucy squinted at the offending limb. "No, I don't want a hug. I don't want a hug, I don- aaand I'm being hugged."

"Sorry." Akko mumbled, not actually letting go. "I just feel bad because the last time we talked I yelled at you. And if I had gone to Diana when you told me to…"

"You are completely ruining my apathetic reputation." Sucy droned, not actually fighting back against the gesture anyway. Though she'd likely never admit it, Hannah might've sworn she actually leaned in a little closer to her roommates.

And when the Red Team all pulled away, they all almost seemed to be standing a little taller, a little more securely. It seemed like whatever weight had been holding them down all morning had finally disappeared.

"So, what _is_ the deal with the new haircut anyway?" Barbara asked. "Is it a Getting a New Lease on Life kinda thing?"

Lotte gasped in excitement. "Oh! You read about those! The heroine cutting astride her hair in preparation for her upcoming battle! It's so romantic!"

Barbara's eyes lit up. "Right?"

"Something like that, I guess." Akko shrugged. "But for me, I just needed something… _different_."

"Any reason why?" Barbara asked. "I mean, if it's not a big deal to tell us or anything."

Akko thought for a moment. "...I think it's like…in the dreams, if I was wearing my uniform or my hat or a dress and heels then, that's what I'm gonna be wearing when the whole...thing starts. But this way, I can always know when it's real or not, right?"

Hannah wondered how much of this Akko had really considered beforehand, and how much was just coming to her on the spot. It was hard to tell with her.

Akko shyly twirled one of her frayed ends around her finger. "S-so, um. Does it look…dorky, or…?"

Lotte clapped her hands together, beaming ear to ear. "I think it's great! Short hair looks really cute on you!"

Constanze gave a thumbs up, and even cracked a small smile. Hannah conceded, despite being obviously self-cut, it didn't look too shabby. She had a nice face for short hair.

Akko's blush only deepened. "Guys…"

"Don't _you_ think so, Sucy?" Lotte asked.

Sucy studied the short mass of hair. "I'd say this cut frames your face a bit more than your old one did. Plus, the messy ends draw more attention to your shoulders. When you stand up straight, it tends to make them look a little broader."

Akko and Lotte stared at her.

Sucy bristled, annoyed. "What?"

"I think your haircut really does look good!" Jasminka agreed. "And I think Diana's going to think so too…"

"I didn't even _think_ of that…" Akko chewed on her bottom lip. "Do you really think she'll like it? She's the only one who hasn't seen it yet. I wonder what she's going to say…"

Barbara laughed. "I bet Diana's totally going to flip when she sees you."

"Wait, why?!" Akko panicked. "Does she not _like_ short hair? Why is she-?"

"Flip in a _good_ way." Hannah assured her. "But honestly, I'd be surprised if she could manage a sentence at all."

Jasminka elbowed her. Hannah questioned what exactly she had said that warranted an elbowing, only for Jasminka to nod her head towards the other end of the field.

Amanda's broom was plummeting towards the ground at an alarming speed, in a reckless nosedive. At the very last moment before she slammed into the ground, Amanda pulled up and leveled herself with the grass. She coasted purely on inertia, and as the broom gradually slowed, Amanda hopped up, running with the landing and let her own momentum carry her evenly over to the group.

Hannah wasn't sure if Jasminka knew she would've pulled a stunt like that, but either way, it _absolutely_ warranted an elbowing.

Amanda lazily rolled her shoulder and tossed her broom aside. "Yeesh, look away for like two seconds and y'all got a whole party going on down here." She awkwardly met Hannah's eye. "Oh, uh...hey Hannah."

Hannah planted her hands on her hips. "You were up there for like half an hour."

Amanda blinked. "Were you sitting here that long…?" She grinned confidently. "You didn't come all this way just to get in a tizzy or little old _me_ , did ya?"

"Well, yeah."

"What, really?" Amanda chuckled. "I just needed to come out here and blow off some steam, that's all. Sitting in that smelly lab listening to Croix spout technobabble gets old fast."

Hannah shrugged. "You seemed upset earlier, so I just...wanted to make sure you were feeling better. I just wanted to know if you needed help with anything."

Amanda's brows furrowed, as if the concept was completely foreign to her. And given Amanda's insistence on her 'me against the world' attitude, Hannah wondered how true that really was.

"Anyway…" Amanda said, agitatedly shaking her hand. "Did I see Akko down here or was I- wait _holy-!_ "

Akko bashfully rubbed at the back of her head. "Hey Amanda…"

"Look at you!" Amanda laughed. "Wasn't expecting you to go chopping half your head off soon as I look away!"

"Y-yeah, I know…probably reckless of me…" Akko chewed on her lip again. "So…when Hannah says you were upset, w-was that because…?"

Amanda waved her hand. "Yeah, nah, it was nothing. You know me, no worries."

"You're…sure? You're...really not mad at...?"

"Sure I'm sure." Amanda said. "And look at you, out here with the new 'do. Hoping to give Diana a heart attack?"

"N-no…I just felt like I had to, so I just…did it."

"Hey, you'll never hear _me_ complaining about going too fast. It doesn't look too shabby, honestly."

"Still as impulsive as ever." Sucy snickered. "I guess it's nice to know our favorite moron never quite changes."

Amanda barked out a laugh, and the barbed joke got a few sarcastic nods and jabs from the rest of them as well.

Akko sniffled. And rubbed at the corner of her eye.

"…H-hey." Sucy frowned. "I was just teasing, I didn't…"

A breathless noise escaped Akko as she held up her hand. "N-no no! I'm not sad, I'm _happy!_ Do you know how nice it is to be able to just... _talk_ to you guys again? It's like a huge weight off my-!"

Akko paused, and then giggled at her own accidental joke.

When she looked back up at them, her eyes were a little wet. But her expression was so much brighter, so much happier, so much more brilliantly _Akko_ than any of them had been able to see in what felt like much too long.

Sucy's face relaxed into something much softer. "...You really are an idiot."

Amanda grinned, and looped her arm around Akko's neck, ruffling her hair. "Aw, that joke was lame, even for you!"

"Augh!" Akko screeched. "Amandaaaa! Stop!"

Hannah couldn't hope to stop her own smile from spreading across her cheeks. Watching all of them trading jokes and barbs, no one would've ever guessed how somber they all had been just a short while ago.

She wondered if Akko was aware of the effect she had over people.

How she so childishly and earnestly believed in her ideals that those around her couldn't help but believe in them as well. How infectious her foolish happiness and hopeless smiles could be. How with just a few words and a sparkling look in her eyes, she seemed to endear herself to everyone around her.

And she wondered if the fact that Akko genuinely couldn't see it was what had built this community in the first place.

"...I was just thinking!" Hannah declared. "You know what you guys need? A hype man!"

Amanda snorted. "Oh, _tell_ me you're not serious."

"I mean, you Nine pretty much got everything covered, but maybe you could use someone to spread the good news, so everyone's not so confused all the time!"

"More communication _would_ help…" Jasminka mused.

"And cheering people on is what I'm good at! Barbara and I used to do it all the time!" Hannah enthusiastically jumped to her feet. "Amanda, you have to be the greatest flyer in the entire school!"

"Please." Amanda rolled her eyes. "I already _know_ I'm great. I don't need a cheerleader."

"As expected of Amanda O'Neill! Of course you know how great you are!" Hannah cheered, despite finding doing this without Barbara was more awkward than she thought.

"R-really. It's cool. You don't need to do that."

"I want to! Because you're…you're the coolest, most charming and the best looking of all the Nine New Witches! No one can even hold a candle to you!"

Amanda covered her ears. "Okay, I get it, stop! God, that's really weird to hear!"

Perhaps it was just the sunlight, but Hannah caught more than a hint of red in Amanda's cheeks. It seemed she was too much of a rebel without a cause to deal with praise all that often. Hannah thought it was…

…cute.

Barbara seemed to find the entire display hilarious. " _God,_ is that what we sounded like with Diana?"

"Oh!" Akko realized. "Do you guys know where Diana is? I…I mean I _should_ show her. I _hope_ she likes it. I don't want her to keep worrying about me all day. Maybe it'll help take her mind off stuff."

"I gotta see this." Sucy grinned devilishly. "Any chance to see Diana put her foot in her mouth is too good to pass up."

And then, in the distance, the academy doors were suddenly thrust open.

"Alright, who in the _world's_ been doing nosedives out here?!" Nelson yelled at the lot of them. "We have windows here, you know! And I got enough on my plate today without havin' to deal with reckless riders!"

Amanda sighed. "Ah geez…" She shot off a quick salute towards her friends. "Whelp, I'm gonna split. Like your hair, Akko tell me how things work out, later bye!"

Her goodbyes thoroughly taken care of, Amanda darted towards the nearest building, the aviary, and well out of sight of Nelson's discouraging eye.

"Um…" Hannah started. "So I'm gonna...m-make sure Amanda's okay! I gotta…!"

She ignored the knowing looks from Jasminka and Barbara as best she could. She hoped she hadn't actually embarrassed her with the praise. She had just gotten caught up in the more light-hearted atmosphere. And she still had a piece she needed to say to her.

She only managed to get a few steps away before Akko called out to her. "Wait, Hannah! Did I…hear you say you had something to say to me earlier?"

Hannah hadn't even considered she might've overheard. "Y-yeah…" She stammered. "I…I wanted to say…! I'm…!"

Hannah tried. She really did. But Akko clearly wanted to see Diana, and Hannah's own heart was pulling her towards the aviary. She couldn't bring herself to account for half a year's worth of time in the space of thirty seconds.

"…I…like your hair."

Another time, she decided. When she could say her piece without bringing down the mood. Akko just grinned, clearly preferring to revel in the happy moment anyway.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, when Hannah went to look for Amanda in the aviary, she was nowhere to be seen. If she hadn't been aware that Amanda was _hiding_ , she might've tried calling out.

She searched for a few fruitless minutes, finding only the signs of most of the Familiars that had been sent home for the summer. The only other thing she found was the maintenance closet, being left just slightly ajar.

"Amanda!" She said, in a harsh whisper. "It's _me_. Are you in there? I need to-!"

A hand reached out and yanked her right into the closet. She might've yelped, had she not completely choked up.

Amanda narrowed her eyes. "You're not trying to get me caught here, are you?"

"Sorry! But I mean, I don't even know if Nelson's looking for you in the first…!"

It took until then for Hannah to realize where she was. Namely, stuffed into a closet with Amanda.

A _very_ small closet.

An _exceedingly_ small closet, now that she looked at it.

Even with her back pressed against the wall, her chest was scant _inches_ away from Amanda's torso. Which she only noticed because, being pressed so close to her, she found Amanda looked _much_ taller than usual.

"O-oh boy." Hannah squeaked. "Um. It's a bit… _tight_ in here?"

She wasn't sure why it was a question.

Amanda didn't seem as hyper aware of their proximity as Hannah was. That, or she didn't care. "Yeah, well, sorry. I'm actually not in the mood to get in trouble today."

"H-here I thought you used to _want_ to get expelled!"

"Used to, yeah."

Hannah felt the heat rise all the way up to her ears. Amanda had been riding in the hot summer sun all morning, and her scent was practically leaking off of her.

It was not doing wonders for Hannah's concentration. "S-so…did…flying around and everything help you feel better…?"

Amanda huffed. "You're talking about how I acted like a total freak back in the cafeteria, right?"

Hannah averted her eyes, mostly because staring up at Amanda like this made it difficult to speak. "I…don't know if I'd say freak."

"Well, I get it." Amanda shrugged. "I know I'm all over the place today. First I act all pissy at everyone, then I try to kiss you for whatever reason, and then I go right back to acting like a jerk."

Hannah frowned. "Did you not… _want_ to kiss…?"

"I don't know!" Amanda snapped. "I mean, maybe not right then, but you came in all bummed out because of how bad our date ended! I didn't let you down too."

Hannah had little doubt as to who Amanda referred to. "She seems fine now. And yeah, she told us about the dreams, but even we believed her, she wasn't gonna take any advice anyway. She even said as much just now."

"I know, but...this whole thing's weird, alright? I don't _do_ big groups and...responsibility and all that. Or at least I didn't before Akko dragged me back here. I never _used_ to care if someone like Diana or Akko or... _you_ …thought I was a flake, but…"

"Me against the world, right?"

"…Yeah." Amanda shrugged.

"Well...I used to think I was the biggest deal, because I was best friends with Diana Cavendish." Hannah admitted. "Turns out, I never even really knew her in the first place. I used to be a somebody, and now I'm a nobody, and…I'm learning to be okay with that."

Amanda turned, and studied her for a long moment. And when she finally smiled, it seemed so much more genuine than the leers and smirks that typically decorated her features.

"Heh. You're pretty cool sometimes, Han. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Even if you _did_ just imply I used to be a nobody there."

Amanda shifted, and the bare skin of her kneecap brushed against the inside of Hannah's leg. And suddenly Hannah was once again acutely aware of how close the two of them were. "W-well…I mean…i-it's k-kinda a compliment…?"

Again, she wasn't sure why it was a question.

"Well, let's save all the comforting and angsting until _after_ we kill this bug thing. Sound good to you?"

"…Yeah. I think I'd like that." Hannah managed to return Amanda's smile. "A-and I'm sure someone as… _amazing_ as you can stop it no problem!"

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Are you gonna stop with this hype man nonsense?"

The words left Hannah's lips before she could stop them. "Make me."

"Come again?"

Hannah's voice was much more of a squeak this time. "M-make…me…?"

Amanda could only stare at her, and for a moment, Hannah wondered if she had managed to find a way to completely stump her. Only for Amanda's parted lips to pull up into a smirk, and lean in ever closer to do exactly that.

And as a little voice in the back of Hannah's head noted, the look on Amanda's face was very…very…persuasive.

* * *

 _A.N. Next Time, "New Leaves Falling"_ _The Nine New Witches put Croix's plan into action! The game is afoot, and there's no time to waste!_

… _And yes, we'll see Diana next time too._


	14. New Leaves Falling

Akko was admittedly nervous about what Diana would think of her haircut. She had been so understanding with Akko's behavior and so patient with how much had happened since just this morning. Akko couldn't help but feel slightly self-conscious.

Of course she hoped Diana thought the haircut looked good. She loved her, and she wanted her to think she looked nice. But more than that, she hoped it was fair to ask Diana to understand why she had to do it, when Diana had already done so much for her on top of that.

Though the next person Akko ended up coming across was not Diana, but rather, Wangari, who was still scrounging for something to fill the summer edition. The story behind all the gossip and rumors behind the cursed mirror and the pitiful girl who had fell prey to it was likely high on her list.

When Wangari approached Akko, with pre-prepared questions just on the edge of her tongue, she faltered in surprise, though just for a moment. Nonetheless, Akko didn't hesitate to seize the opportunity.

"Hey Wangari!" Akko greeted her cheerfully. "I got a new haircut!"

"Well, hey! You certainly did, Froggo! What an unexpected change! I don't suppose you have any particularly juicy reasons why that you wouldn't mind sharing with Luna Nova News Network?" Wangari gasped excitedly. "Did you have a _breakup?_ "

"What? This isn't a breakup haircut! Me and Diana are doing just fine!"

"Am I allowed to quote you on that this time? Our 'Diana in Love' story did _really_ well…!"

"Ask her, not me!" Akko happily shrugged as she continued right on her way. It took Wangari a moment to realize the fact she just let her story walk past her.

Lotte giggled at the sight. "I guess it's another slow news day for her?"

"She's probably still sore since she can't run the Seven Wonders of Luna Nova anymore…" Sucy said.

Having Lotte and Sucy still here, still trailing behind her like they used to, still made the smile on Akko's face far more genuine than it had been in a very long time. "I feel a little bad she doesn't have anything to write about! But still! It really feels like things are going back to normal, doesn't it?"

"You really _are_ in a good mood again, aren't you?" Lotte noted.

"Of course I am! Like just this morning I was really sure at least _one_ of you guys were gonna get mad at me for... _that_ , but no one even made all that big a deal of it! Heck, you guys all liked my haircut too!"

A part of her had to wonder if they were exaggerating just a bit, showering her with compliments to keep her from shutting herself away again, but she supposed it only showed how much her friends were willing to stand by her.

"And isn't it great?" Akko smiled to herself. "Since everyone is wigging out about this, so it's almost like they all just forgot about you know what!"

When she turned around, she found Lotte and Sucy didn't share her enthusiasm. Their faces were less supportive and more concerned.

"You know after everything that happened, _you_ can't just forget about it, right?" Sucy asked.

Akko faced forward once more. "Y-yeah, I know…I just don't want to hear about it from everyone all day, that's all..."

Lotte and Sucy shared an uneasy look, but neither pressed the subject any further, a fact Akko was grateful for. She may have made a lot of dumb decisions lately, but she wasn't stupid. She knew what she was doing.

The haircut was as much a shedding of skin as it was meant to be a distraction. Something for people to gawk at and give her a chance to steer the conversation away from how sorry they were for her and how awful it was that this was happening.

She knew it was wrong, but she also knew that after so many days of having her thoughts consumed with fear and plagued by nightmares, she didn't really care.

She had finally managed to hold a pleasant conversation with her friends again, had finally cleared her doubts that they might resent her for what had happened. She felt _normal_ again. She wasn't going to just throw that away and go right back to square one.

And in any case, her only real concern right now was Diana. Once she was sure there was no bad blood between them for another one of her decisions, she would breathe far easier.

Diana was still holed up in the Tower with Croix and Ursula. She was still tense, and still undeniably pensive, though just slightly less so than Akko had seen her this morning. Akko herself still wasn't aware of what exactly their plan was, and she wasn't particularly eager to ask in the first place.

As far as she could tell, however, Diana felt more confident now that there was _something_ , even if it wasn't something she necessarily she wanted.

"And this machine you're hoping to build will help stabilize…whatever it is you're doing?"

"I know you don't agree with the principles of magitronics." Croix replied. "But it's a lot safer than just injecting magic into someone, at any rate. There's not a _lot_ I can do until we get more materials to work with, but I'll work on what safeguards I can. The kid deserves at least that much from me…"

Diana didn't look any more sure, but at any rate, she did her best to swallow her pride and relent.

"…I'll trust you on this, Croix. Whatever differences we've had, you've made all this possible." Diana nodded solemnly. "Thank you."

Croix paused, turning away from her work on the laptop. Whatever had happened to her since the Noir Rod's destruction, she seemed unused to having someone genuinely thank her for her efforts.

So she just shrugged and went right back to work. "... _Now_ she says it's possible."

Diana shook her head, miffed at being met with sarcasm, though not entirely surprised.

Akko had been lingering in the door the entire time. All the confidence she had regained moments ago suddenly felt so fragile. The last time she had set foot in the lab, she had left almost ready to fall to tears.

She had felt a lot better since then. She didn't want to risk that. It was a small, reassuring look from Lotte and Sucy that allowed her the strength to take the step forward and stop hiding.

Diana glanced up. "Akko, how do you-?"

And suddenly whatever words of comfort Diana was about to say were stolen from her breath.

Croix arched a brow. "Oh hey. You cut your hair." She said, before turning right back to her work. Ursula frowned, but at what, Akko couldn't say.

Diana's reaction, however, made the surprise of everyone else look understated. But then, she supposed Diana had much more interest in Akko's personal appearance than anyone else. It only stood to reason that she'd be more taken away with her change.

Akko stepped closer and managed a small smile. "Hi, Diana."

Diana shook herself out of her daze, pressing her lips together tightly. "...Akko, you...wow."

"So. I got a haircut."

"You...yes. You certainly…did that."

"And okay, before you say anything, I just felt like I _had_ to. And yeah, I didn't really think about it or anything. I dunno if that makes sense, but I just felt like...yeah."

Without any warning or buildup, Akko surged forward and locked Diana in a tight embrace.

"And thanks." Akko mumbled. "I know I'm...probably not easy to deal with, but thanks so much for doing all of this and being so cool about it. You're the greatest. I don't know how I'd do this without you."

Already conscious of everyone looking at the two of them, and especially Sucy's leering expression, Diana was red up to the tips of her ears. "Y-yes, well. That's…it's hardly any trouble, of course. I'm...merely...doing what's right, that's all."

Akko pulled away, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "S-so! What do you think of it, anyway?"

Sucy elbowed Diana before she had a chance to even close her mouth. "Yes, tell us your thoughts."

"Doesn't she look nice like that?" Lotte egged on.

Diana was visibly bothered by the teasing, and still somewhat beside herself at the sudden change of her beloved's appearance, but nonetheless ignored the attention and articulated her thoughts.

"I…your face is nice. Y-your head, I mean! Haircut. It…looks nice. On you. That is."

At the sound of Sucy's mischievous snicker, Croix shook her head. "…Was wondering why no one else had any hard feelings about last year. Guess they're all just cruel."

Ursula playfully elbowed her. "Croix, let them have their moment."

Diana loudly cleared her throat and attempted to straighten out her posture. "Ah...Akko? Why don't we...continue this outside...?"

She took Akko by the hand, an act that seemed much more hurried than simply flustered, and led her outside into the Tower's hall, fidgeting under the attention directed towards their retreating backsides.

Once they were alone, or at least out of the spotlight, Diana stopped and took Akko's other hand in her own, softly holding them in between their waists. It was gentle and loving, yes. But it also gave the impression Diana meant to keep her there and facing her, as if she was worried Akko would turn away.

In truth, the reaction itself made Akko want to shift on her feet. "Diana...? Is everything okay?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing. When you said you felt like you...had to do this, to change your appearance, does that mean you…?"

From the way she trailed off, Akko had little trouble guessing what it was she couldn't bring herself to say.

"No, no it's not…!" Akko shook her head. "I mean it's not that. Like I said before, I felt like I had to do something. And this is...something?"

"You're absolutely sure?"

"Sure I'm sure. Diana, I don't want you to have to keep worrying about me. I liked my old hairstyle, but after hearing how much Lotte seemed to like it, I actually feel a lot better about it now. I'm okay, really."

Diana searched her face in silence, and eventually, let out a sigh of relief. "Okay." She said, allowing herself a small smile. "If you say this is something you had to do, then of course I support it." And in a smaller voice meant only for her, added, "And...yes. I do think it looks...very good."

Akko's face lit up. "Do you really like it?"

Diana leaned forward and pressed a quick peck to Akko's lips. "...I love it."

Akko could do nothing but grin. Finally, for the first time since, honestly, the letter from her parents half a month ago, she simply couldn't stop herself from feeling genuinely happy.

For the first time in nearly half a month, Akko finally felt was like her life was her own again.

Diana stopped her staring and shook her head at herself. "In any case...before you came in, we were actually putting together the final details on how to purge this creature from your mind. Perhaps we should rejoin the others?"

"Oh, Lotte and Sucy mentioned you guys were working _something_ out, but I didn't really know what to ask. I'm just happy you guys finally know what you're doing! I gotta find a way to repay you when you all finish this up!"

Diana fell silent. And the smile fell from her face.

"Akko, it isn't... _quite_ that simple."

"...What do you mean? You...you guys _do_ have something worked out, right?"

"Of course we do. But it's...not necessarily as cut and dry as I might like, and certainly not as fast."

Akko's face strained. "...how...long is it going to take?"

"It's difficult to say. But...we were discussing potential ways to speed this up, and there's a few things we might need on your part. Here, Croix and Ursula can explain it better than I-"

"Ah, we'll do it later."

Diana furrowed her brow. "Later...?"

"I mean, come on! There's nothing wrong with taking a little time to ourselves, is there?"

"...Normally I would agree. And I can hardly blame you from wanting to stop thinking about this. But there's still a lot we need to do, you know. I'm not sure we can _afford_ to wait much-"

"L-look, just _please?_ I haven't been able to think about anything else _but_ this for days. Can't we just...do something else? Just for a little bit?"

Diana, grappling between her instincts, her wisdom, and her emotions, hesitantly agreed.

* * *

Whenever they were outside, or whenever she passed a window, Akko forced herself not to look at how low the sun was in the sky.

It certainly had been a busy day. With how much had changed since waking from her nightmare in the morning, it was only inevitable that nighttime would soon begin its unstoppable approach. The less time she spent thinking about what the coming night would bring, the better.

Ursula told her to focus on what's real, and the first step on the road to getting better had settled into something easy and comfortable. And to Akko, the more important fact was that the first step left her free with Diana.

Despite what she might say out loud, Diana absolutely needed the break. She breathed much easier, now that she was out of that lab and taking a reprieve from fretting all the time. The latter point continuously lifted Akko's spirits. She loved how Diana's once rare smiles came so much more frequently these days.

As if nothing was wrong, the two of them took the moment to spend with each other, walking and talking, grabbing a quick dinner, and simply enjoying an evening together, like they so often had since the evening they first got together, some months ago.

It was hard to tell if Diana truly did adore Akko's haircut that much, adored seeing Akko happy again, or some combination of the two. But it had been far too long since her gaze had been so tender and so light. Akko even managed to steal a kiss or two, earning her a formally worded reprimand from Diana.

She really loved it when she got formal.

Eventually, or at least when they had more privacy, Diana took it as initiative to play with the ends of Akko's hair as they walked. "Perhaps I could help you even it out in the back."

"Nah, that's fine."

"Admittedly I'm not a hairdresser, though I believe Verde is one? And I believe Jiji knows a thing or two about how to properly style this, should you like that."

"No, I mean I don't want anyone else touching my hair. I know it doesn't look the greatest, but…"

Diana either understood her meaning or trusted her well enough not to pry. "I understand." She said, with a soft smile. "And I do apologize if I made you feel at all emasculated, either here, or earlier at lunch."

"Don't be sorry! I don't even know what that word means anyway!"

Diana snorted. "You really are too much sometimes…"

"But in a good way, right?"

"The best way."

Diana felt great, and it made Akko feel great, and it was yet another reason why every time their conversation drifted towards the lab, or the plan, or even the parasite, Akko cleverly twisted it away to something that would make her feel greater.

Diana kept pointing out that it was getting late, and so Akko pointed out that she saw Constanze working on her laptop screen and decided to check up on her.

"Hey Constanze!" Akko greeted her happily. "I can't really remember if I said thanks for letting me crash in your room that one time, so uh...thanks!"

Constanze gave a curt nod, and her Stanbot sprung up to lecture her. "Miss Constanze is in the middle of an important negotiation! Please be respectful!"

Akko craned her neck over Constanze's shoulder to glance at the screen, ignoring the looks she got from Diana and Constanze herself, to see who she was talking to.

Fafnir slowly stroked his beard in thought. "You want an express shipment on Orichalcum? That's not exactly easy to get on short notice…"

"Orichalcum?" Akko swore she had heard the name before.

"Magic conducting metal." Diana explained. "Highly potent. I suspect Croix requested this to help stabilize her machine."

"You're making deals with Fafnir, Constanze?"

The Stanbot turned to her. "That is where materials for Grand Charion and the Stanship came from!"

Fafnir let out a small grumble. "I can get the Orichalcum to Luna Nova by morning...but in return, the next upgrade you do to my drones is free."

Constanze made a face. "Quarter price." The Stanbot argued.

"Outrageous. Fifteen percent or you can shop elsewhere."

"Agreed."

Fafnir nodded, before looking into the background beyond Constanze's small frame. "Weren't you one of those girls who broke into my home?" He said to Akko.

Akko wasn't sure how to answer. "Uh…"

"Yes, I remember. You were the noisy one, who told me how wonderful you thought magic was. Tell me, how have you been since then? Busy with your wonderful magic?"

"S-something like that!" Akko said, quickly grabbing Diana's hand. "Anyway sorry to eavesdrop on your thing with Contz! I gotta go! Nice seeing you!"

As she quickly retreated from the laptop, she swore she heard Fafnir mutter something about youngsters.

"He does raise a good point, Akko." Diana said, allowing herself to be led away. "We _really_ should be getting back to work."

"M-maybe!" Akko conceded. "But Constanze's like the greatest inventor we know! She can totally build whatever she wants. We'd probably just be in the way. Besides! Aren't you having fun though?"

"That's...irrelevant right now."

"It's not irrelevant! You deserve to have a break from all this. You've been taking care of my mess all morning, and I feel bad."

Diana pulled her hand back from Akko's, and refused to take another step forward, no matter how much she wanted to. "Akko, I'm _serious_. I can't rest. Not until you're safe. And I need you to work with me on this."

Akko flailed for another excuse. "I...I'm supervising! We should go see what Sucy's up to! Amanda seemed like she was in trouble last time I saw her, maybe we can do something about that!"

Akko couldn't fight the feeling. All the evidence was adding up to a conclusion she couldn't stand for. Diana had said it was going to take a while. That they were going to need _her_ help with something. Nightfall was fast approaching, and despite her best efforts, her eyes were still heavy, and she was still exhausted.

"Akko…I know you're scared. And believe me, I understand why you don't want to do this. But we can't just ignore this any longer. We need to focus on-"

"Focus on what's real? Ursula said the same thing to me, actually! And that's what I'm doing, right? I mean how can I focus on what's real more than by staying in the real world?"

"Akko…"

"Really what's wrong from just taking a break? Everyone's basically told me I shouldn't exert myself, right? So why shouldn't I just-"

" _Akko._ "

She flinched at Diana's harsh tone.

Diana took a deep breath and centered herself. She tried to appear professional, controlled. And when that failed, she could do nothing else but grab Akko's waist and pull her close, resting her head on her shoulder.

Akko, acting more on muscle memory than conscious thought, rubbed Diana's back, and Diana sunk deeper into the embrace.

The normally proud, enunciated Cavendish voice came out as a low murmur, rumbling against her shoulder. "I don't mean to snap at you..."

"It's...okay, Diana. It happens. We can just-"

Diana's grip tightened around the fabric of Akko's uniform. "You told me you were afraid of losing me. Right now, there's _nothing_ I want more than to take all this pain you're feeling away from you. And I swear to you, I'll be here for you until we can. You will never, _never_...have to go through this alone again."

"Then...why can't we just...keep doing this? This is the nicest day I've had in forever. I don't want it to stop."

"Because...I can't lose you either. And there's nothing more I can do to help you unless you work with me."

Akko's response was instantaneous.

"No."

She couldn't go back in there, just to hear it out loud. She already knew. The timespan Diana kept dancing around, refusing to put a number on, could only mean it was too long for Akko to stay awake for. And the only defense she had against inevitability was to try and act as though it wasn't there.

Diana was still, before she let out a deep sigh. Akko couldn't blame her for being frustrated. Diana loved her more than anything, but she hadn't asked to deal with this. She wasn't a therapist. She wanted to be a healer, but she was still a student. How much patience was she expected to give?

It was at that thought that Akko allowed herself to look out the window. The sky was a golden color. The sun was low on the horizon, and the moon was just barely visible in the sky.

Akko sighed. "I just wanna be done already. That's why I told you this morning. I just...wanted to have this fixed. Over and done with. They can find a way to fix this without me. They already know where the bug is."

Diana pulled away, and Akko found herself caught by the soft look in the blue of her eyes. "…Do you know what I really like about your new haircut?"

Diana caressed the short strands of brunette hair in between her fingers, and gently brushed them behind Akko's ear.

"When you wear it like this...you can see much more of your face."

Akko bit back a whine, out of places to hide. "...I don't know if I can handle going through another nightmare."

"And I don't know if I can handle seeing you go through one either." Diana confessed. "But I just...don't know what choice we have. You told me you tried staying up, and all it led to was you being trapped in a nightmare for two days. What if it gets worse?"

"I _really_ don't know how it could get any worse than this…"

Diana pressed another kiss to Akko's lips, trying to find the reassurance that words could not.

"Perhaps this will take a few days. And I admit, I don't want you suffering from sleep deprivation anymore. But if we space this out right, this could be the _last_ nightmare you ever have to go through. We make sure you get just enough rest, so you're prepared to get rid of this creature, once and for all. And then, it'll be behind you, and you'll never have to think about it again."

A small sliver of hope edged its way into the fringes of Akko's voice. "You really think this could be it? The last one?"

"If we time it right...yes. And then you're _free_. We can spend the whole summer together, whatever you want to do. But we just need to face this first. We can't beat around the bush any longer than we already have."

Akko frowned. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one who has to-"

Diana took her by the shoulders. "You're not alone in this anymore." She told her. "No matter what happens, no matter what you see in there...I'm going to be here. Right when you wake up. I promise you."

"You promise…?"

Diana nodded. "No matter what happens."

And somehow, Akko knew no amount of determination, or magic, or deflection could keep her from having to take the next step. It was the last thing she wanted to do. To have all the progress she made slip through the cracks of her fingers like water. But she could do nothing else.

"If you're be there...then I'll try." Akko said, before glancing out the window once more. "...I know today probably really sucked for you, and for everyone else too. But...I had a really nice day. It was...it was the nicest one I had in a long time."

Diana took a long moment to respond. "...And if you can promise me that...then tomorrow."

Akko looked at her curiously.

"If you promise me, that first thing in the morning, you'll work with us to solve this, then...we can space this out and allow you one more night. I'll stay up with you. All night long. I can't do anything more than that."

Akko smiled. It was more than enough. "Then...I promise too."

Diana stayed with her in the Red Team's room, always there the moment the dread began to creep back into Akko's mind. For blissfully short bursts of time, she managed to convince herself to forget about what was coming, and her nice day continued in the late hours of the night into the early hours of the morning.

When Lotte and Sucy came in, they stayed up with them. They spent the night enjoying themselves. They played card games. They talked about nothing and joked about everything. They prodded each other when someone began to nod off, and until the beams of sunlight broke through the window, Lotte, Sucy, and Diana found themselves at ease.

And all the while, they kept assuring her and reiterating to her that this would be the last dream she would have to face. Akko believed them when they said it was true. And when the sun began to rise and the next day was finally upon them, she had to wonder how exactly to interpret the statement.

* * *

 _A.N. Next Time, "Tribulations in Pohjola" Akko faces what may be the last of the dreams as the rest of the team prepares the plan. Between Croix's machinations, and Akko's own changes, she's going to make quite a startling discovery…_


	15. Tribulations in Pohjola

When the morning came, Lotte, Sucy, and Diana groggily regarded the sunlight peeking in through the window, and Akko could only greet the morning with a trepid uncertainty.

She knew what this meant, and she could only pretend to put on a brave face for the sake of everyone else. She could put off the nightmare no longer. Today was the 20th, and if past dreams had been any indication, she could wake up anywhere from within a few hours, to entire days.

She tried not to think the phrase, 'if at all'.

When they had arrived in the lab, Croix had produced some sort of strange electronic slab for her to lay her head on. She gave some long, drawn out explanation about how they would be acting as a lifeline, monitoring her progress, which Akko didn't pay much attention to either way. Her thoughts were too focused elsewhere to care about the logic of any of it.

Constanze approached the slab with a stoic expression. "Don't worry, Miss Akko!" The Stanbot said, in its gratingly cheerful electronic voice. "Croix and Miss Constanze shall be monitoring your progress! If brainwaves get too abnormal, we shall pull you out!"

"...You sure we can't just pull out now?" Akko offered. "Let's not do this and say we did."

Diana set a hand on her shoulder. "Akko…"

"I know." She sighed. "It was worth a shot, at least."

As Akko laid her head back against the grim slab, Diana pulled up a seat right next to her. "The best advice we can give...is to try to remind yourself that this is merely some affliction. These nightmares aren't natural, and you can't let them control you."

Ursula helpfully smiled. "Focus on what's real! Just remember, this could be the _last_ nightmare! You can do this, we all believe in you!"

Croix, despite herself, gave a curt nod. "You're on the homestretch, kid. Bring it home."

Diana took a breath as she settled into the seat, preparing for the long haul. Akko genuinely tried to fight to stay awake, mostly for the sake of trying. She wanted to stay up, fluster Diana, talk with Constanze, catch up with Croix, be comforted by Ursula.

But she couldn't fight physiology. She had already been exhausted for the past few days to begin with, to say nothing of being kept awake for one more blissful night. It barely took long at all for her eyes to droop lower and lower.

* * *

Akko opened her eyes, and found herself standing on her own two feet. But the first thing she actually noticed was the familiar weight to her head. She murmured to herself in confusion as she reached up to the top of her neck and found her hands running through long brunette locks.

Her hair was back. Back to its normal length, tied up in ponytail and all, as though it had never been cut in the first place, and none of yesterday ever happened.

She tightly gripped the long tresses in her fist, and swallowed hard. ' _So this is definitely a dream then._ _Whatever happens...isn't real. None of it will be real._ '

The thought steadied her, if only slightly. She knew, more than enough by this point, that this experience was going to test her in every way possible. If the entire deck was stacked against her, her only defense was to hold onto whatever trump card she had, focus on whatever physical reminder she had.

Looking around, she found herself in the Yanson's Magic Shop. This must have been when she, Lotte, and Sucy visited Lotte's home last December, when Akko discovered the 4th Word of Arcturus.

Lotte, very softy, nudged her in the arm. "Are you alright, Akko? You look a bit freaked out…"

Akko frowned. That hadn't been what she had expected her to say. Not here at least. Sucy was there too, looking down at her, not with cruelty, but rather with her typical indifference. Was this just the preamble to whatever horrible thing the parasite had stored for her?

As if on cue, the portly Mr. Yanson burst into the shop and excitedly scooped up his daughter into his arms, laughing with uncontained joy.

"Loootteee!" Mr. Yanson's voice alone made magic knick-knacks and trinkets tremble on their shelves. "Our little darling is home! Your mother and I missed you so much!"

Lotte cried out as her father spun her around in the air. Mr. Yanson had always been a nice man. Akko wasn't sure she was ready to see his reflection twisted and defiled.

Mr. Yanson set his distressed daughter down and turned to the other two guests in his shop. "And you must be her roommates, Sucy and Akko, right? Our little Lotte's been tellin' us a lot about you two! Put her there!"

Akko looked curiously at the outstretched hand. "…what is this?"

"What's what?" Mr. Yanson asked. "This is a handshake!"

Akko arched a brow. "Just...a handshake? You're not going to do something horrible? Yell at me, or blame me for something, tell me how useless I am? Just a handshake?"

Lotte sputtered in disbelief. "Wh-?! _Akko!_ These are my parents! They would never…!"

Sucy looked at her sideways. "Where did _that_ come from? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed or what?"

Mr. Yanson was appalled, and slowly retracted his hand. "I...I would never do that to my little Lotte's friends! Did I come on too strong? I...I'm sorry if I offended you somehow! I just wanted to…"

Akko shrunk under the scrutinizing glares of her roommates, and the pained look on Mr. Yanson's gentle features. She flushed, and quickly shook her head. "N-no, that's not what I meant! I didn't mean…!"

She paused. She had dealt with this kind of thing before, hadn't she? The last time she had fell asleep already feeling so defeated, she dreamt of the party at the Hanbridge Mansion, of Diana. It had filled her back up with hope, gave her the strength to keep going.

To keep going, she realized, straight into another dream to be torn right back down again. All so this parasite could have another free lunch. Despite how utterly physical her fear felt, she cracked a humorless smile.

' _And I'm not giving you the satisfaction of seeing me wig out again. If I can't get rid of you yet, I'm not gonna make it easier on you._ '

"...Sorry." Akko said. "I didn't mean for that to come out so mean, Mr. Yanson. Guess I haven't been sleeping very well lately."

Mr. Yanson scratched at the back of his head. "Sorry to hear that. Do you need anything from me?"

Lotte and Sucy watched as Akko started to button up a winter jacket. "Are...are you going somewhere…?"

Akko tied her scarf around her neck. "Like you said, I'm kinda freaked out right now, so I'm just gonna...step outside for a sec. I'll be back. I just think some air will help."

She didn't want to admit it out loud, but seeing Lotte's father so happy to be reunited was just making her think of her own dad. She would almost accept having her memories of home corrupted into oblivion if it meant getting to spend a few hours in Japan again.

Almost.

Bundled up in her winter gear for the oppressive cold she _knew_ was coming, Akko stepped out of the shop, out past the garden, and crunched out into the snow, her weary eyes looking skyward. The expression was not so much challenging, so much as it was a strange mixture of defiance and resignation.

After a few minutes alone, blankly watched the gray clouds rolling in over the Finnish countryside, Lotte cautiously stepped out to see her.

"Are you sure you're okay…? You're acting really weird."

Akko shrugged, seeing no reason not to tell her. "...No, I'm not. I'm trying to be, and I've tried everything I could to fix this already, but nothing worked. I'm really on edge, and I just...haven't felt right in a while."

Lotte smiled, confused, but attempting to be supportive. "Well, why don't you come inside? We're going to have Hapansilakka pies soon. Maybe trying something new will take your mind off things!"

Akko snorted. "I've been trying to take my mind off things, but...it's one of those things I can't ignore even I want to. And I _really_ want to. I guess in the end, I just...gotta wait this out until they find a way to fix this…"

Lotte grimaced, and her lips parted, but her eyes flicked downwards and all that escaped her was a shrill shriek.

"A-Akko! Your...your hand!"

Akko glanced down, only to find her fingertips covered in moss. But that didn't make sense. She just got here. The infections weren't supposed to start yet. And besides, she had been the _last_ one to get infected.

Lotte covered her mouth. "I...I heard of this! This is Greenman Disease! B-but it's really rare! I don't…!"

Something from within the moss pricked at her fingers. Without warning, it suddenly began spreading rapidly, covering up her entire hand and traveling up her sleeve in a fraction of a second.

This time, Akko let out a cry. This was going too fast. The moss never grew this fast. She had been fortunate enough not to be infected the first time. She had no idea what to expect, and it seemed like the worst parts of her imagination had decided to fill in the blanks.

She wiped her hand on the leg of her tights, but rather than removing the plants, all she did was sprout more, spreading up her leg just as the moss on her arm reached her torso. She was, literally, rooted to the spot.

Akko quickly shoved Lotte to safety with her uninfected hand before it could get on her as well. Her other hand was stuck in a mitten made of hard plant material. She couldn't even spread her fingers. And with it completely covering her arm, she couldn't move that either.

"D-don't worry, Akko!" Lotte wailed helplessly. "We…! I...m-maybe Sucy…!"

"Not waiting _that_ long!"

Akko reached down to grab her wand, desperate to try something, but the moment she laid her hand on it, it too was engulfed in plant material. She never even got the chance to draw it from her belt.

The moss spread up her neck. Akko craned her neck to keep it from getting near her mouth. As it completely engulfed the sides of her head, it covered her ears, and suddenly, she couldn't hear. Lotte, tears pooling in her eyes, called out to her, but Akko could only watch her mouth open without a sound.

As the mossy cocoon began reaching up to cover her eyes, she found herself wondering what kind of brainwaves Croix and Constanze were waiting for in order to pull her out. And then everything was black. The foliage covering her too thick to even let light through.

No sight. No sound. Nothing.

' _Come on...come on! Think! There's gotta be a way outta this._ '

Of course she was scared. Of course she was terrified out of her mind, not even able to twitch her fingers. She _told_ Diana she didn't want to do this. But she didn't come all this way to become plant food, and she didn't plan to keep her waiting any longer.

Her hand was still on her wand, thankfully. But both it and her were completely encased. Even if she could lift it from her belt, which she could not, she couldn't even move her jaw enough to voice a spell.

So she was going to lose. No matter what she did this dream, any choices she made would just send her into more danger, more stress, more fuel for the poison infecting her mind.

But just because she was going to lose didn't mean the parasite was going to get to win.

Tightening her grip on the wand as much as she was allowed, she deliberately made the same mistake she used to always make with spellcasting; Pour excessive amounts of magic and willpower into her wand, until the spell violently backfired.

A mere moment later, the energy burst from her wand in explosion of inky black smoke, stretching her prison past its breaking point. Against a real-life case of Greenman Disease, it would've done nothing.

Here, the blast of magical discharge sent moss flying in every direction as her cocoon, exploded from the inside. Akko shook off the last few leaves from her clothes, and laughed to herself, reveling in her freedom. "Haha! I'm-!"

Perhaps she shouldn't have been surprised that immediately after freeing herself that an icy burst of cold wind stabbed right through her jacket and tights and bit at her skin.

The oppressive wind sent a flurry of snow at her uncovered face, forcing her to shield her eyes. Squinting against the vicious elements, all she could see spread out before her was an endless wasteland of snow under a night sky.

The jagged silhouettes of pine trees were only barely visible against the swirling white powder continuously being kicked up into the air. If she was anywhere even _near_ Lotte's village anymore, which she had to doubt, it was impossible to tell. Her only guess was that the dream had placed her sometime in between gathering the last of the ingredients from the Yeti, and discovering the 4th Word of Arcturus.

It made little difference in the long run. She had neither the Shiny Rod nor her pack with her. She could hardly see a meter in front of her, and it was too dark and too cold for her to stay her long. She wouldn't last long in a blizzard like this.

' _Figures._ '

She called out. "H-hello? Can anyone hear me? _Hello!_ " But her voice was blown away in the blizzard. She was completely and hopelessly lost, in the freezing cold.

"O-okay..." She shivered, and pulled the scarf up to cover her red cheeks. "So...now what…?"

She could either wait here for the dream to throw some new horrible thing at her, or she could go out and meet the horrible thing head on. If nothing else, she supposed, moving her muscles would give her some semblance of warmth.

Ducking her head down and pulling her arms in tighter, she trudged through the snow as it soaked through her meager tights. Akko mumbled to herself, perhaps just desperate for a sound beyond the crunching beneath her feet.

"W-well?" Her teeth chattered as she spoke. "W-waiting for it...am I gonna get back and... _now_ Lotte's parents are gonna call me useless? M-maybe the Yeti attacks me now?"

She got no response. The direction she had picked put her directly against the wind, constantly nipping at the bare skin of her face. She supposed if she had been smarter, she'd change course and start walking a different way, but she didn't want to give the parasite the satisfaction.

"C-come on then! Just this? J-just...some stupid snowstorm? H...hit me with it already. I'm sure y-you're _dying_ to...see me get all scared and wigged out...right?"

She couldn't feel her toes in her boots. She tried to bury her fingers into the folds of her jacket before they too became numb.

"C..can't beat you...but...you won't...beat me...so _there_."

Blindly, Akko continued to push herself and fought the hopeless fight against the elements. After all, she was trapped in a never-ending storm, in an unwinnable game. She let out an empty, breathless, chuckle.

After all, the thing about unwinnable games was, it meant she already knew the ending. There was a comfort in that.

"G-guess...you're becoming...predicta _-"_

Akko stopped in her tracks. Out in the distance, glaring brightly against the darkness, was a twinkling red light. It was the only source of light she could see, almost like a crimson star, floating just above the horizon.

"Alright...go towards, or...away…?"

Well, it wasn't like she had any _better_ plans.

As she trudged her way over to the light, she didn't notice how the wind had come to a halt, nor how the blizzard had slowed. With every step she took closer, her eyes adjusted to light more and more, until she could finally make out a shape in the middle of it.

A cube. Akko blinked. The shape of one of Croix's magitronic cubes was unmistakable, floating a few meters off the ground with a sinister red glow. Standing beneath it, she could see the Big Dipper glittering in the night sky.

After a second or so, Polaris, the brightest star in the constellation, began to glow a dull crimson. Then the two stars closest to it took the same color, as did the stars closest to that one. When the last of the seven stars changed colors, Akko's eyes widened as she realized what she was truly looking at.

"...Aw no."

She fell to her hands and knees as seven magitronic cubes shot from the sky like bullets, raining down where she had once been standing. The cubes whirled around just before they buried themselves in the snow, and floated into the air with the one that had lured her over in the first place. All eight bore down on her with the same ruthless red light.

With a quick swipe of her hand, she tossed a bundle of snow their way and scrambled to her feet as quickly as she could. ' _I swear, this better be the very last nightmare, or I'm gonna scream_.'

The distinctive electronic humming began to grow louder, and she weaved to the side, narrowly avoiding the device. She only recalled Croix using these things as battering rams once, on _that_ particular night.

She made a fumbling grab for her wand beneath her jacket, and cast the first spell she could think of. "Metamorphie Faciesse!"

Just as the cube banked into its turn to make another pass at her, the beam of magic slammed right into it. A cutesy pink stuffed bunny bounced fruitlessly into her leg.

She shot another beam without hesitation, and another high-tech cube was reduced to a mere stuffed animal. She raised her wand again, just as a third device shot through the air, and the edge clipped her cheek like a serrated blade.

She winced as she felt something trickle down from the cut. Even with two down, six of these were too much for her on her own. At least, the way she was fighting now. Instead, she aimed her wand at herself.

"Metamorphie Faciesse!"

With a puff of smoke, she transformed herself into a small bird and furiously began to flap her wings as she took to the air. She wasn't going to get far. The problem with flying like this was that it was exhausting, and when she transformed back, even just a few minutes of flapping left her with sore arms.

Though, she was not aiming to escape. A quick glance downward showed several cubes chasing relentlessly, all directly below her. She just needed to gain a little more height, get as many of them bunched up as possible…

And with one more midair transformation spell, the small bird became a much less small elephant. The devices had no time to react as the massive, flightless creature suddenly fell to the ground and crushed them into the snow.

She returned to her human form with a puff of smoke and a groan, rolling her aching shoulders. "Ow…"

If she got out of this... _when_ she got out of this...she was going to ask Diana for some high strength healing spells. And maybe a gallon of aloe vera. She picked up a pinch of snow and set it against the cut on her cheek, mostly for the sake of it.

' _I think...I almost would've preferred one of the nightmares where everyone hates me…_ '

She supposed she didn't have any other options but to keep heading forward. She was still stuck in this nightmare until something threw her out, or someone decided to bail her out. She trudged forward into the snow, walking aimlessly and blindly, until the sound of her footsteps changed, and she suddenly realized she was walking on concrete.

She let out a weary sigh. "Oh come on…"

She opened her eyes to find herself on a rooftop in Glastonbury. A woman stood above her on a higher ledge, her blood red cloak flowing in the cold night's wind as she turned to face Akko with a self-assured grin.

"Hello, Akko." Croix said.

"Croix…?"

The professor lifted her hand, and several magitronic cubes snaked and danced around her outstretched fingers. Akko bit back a gasp as she realized where she was. She knew this night. She _hated_ this night.

"Why do you insist on all these hopeless goals?" Croix asked. "I mean look at you. You haven't done anything this entire time. You've just been running around like a fool."

"I…" Akko took a breath, and steeled herself. "...You're not real. I don't have to answer you. So there."

Croix feigned offense. "Not real? Then what's that on your cheek? If I'm nothing, why have you been doing nothing but make everyone take pity on you?"

Akko pinched her eyes shut. "Stop it. You want me to get all freaked out and scared. I'm not gonna do it."

Croix tutted at her. "Students should _really_ think how they talk to their professors. You act like I'm nothing, yet you couldn't even handle me on your own. You needed to run to Diana again. Now everyone else is bailing you out because your limited skills weren't enough."

"...Fine."

The corners of Croix's smile twitched. "Fine?"

"I said it's fine!" Akko said, a little more firmly. "I...I can't stop you on my own. I _do_ need everyone else's help to get rid of you. But _you_ also need _me_."

Croix frowned.

"You...you want me to get all scared and freaked out, so you can _feed_ off of me. I'm not gonna be scared of you anymore, because you can't do _anything_ to me. Because if I go, _you_ go."

"Is that so…" Croix murmured. "And yet…"

She gestured to a group of her cubes coiling near her leg, each glowing with paled turquoise color. She hadn't remembered much about the devices in any detail, but she knew enough to guess which emotion they were gathering.

"...Well…" Akko chewed on her lip. "Well, _fine_. But all I gotta do is deal with you one more time, and then you're done, and my friends are gonna get you out. But you still can't do anything to me. Not really. Not without losing yourself too."

Croix gave a slow clap. "Bold words. I suppose I could expect nothing less from Ursula's little pet. Though, I wonder how much she told you…"

Akko winced. "Shut up."

"Ah, so you _do_ remember!" Croix grinned. "After all, tonight was one of the first times you forced _all_ your friends to worry themselves sick about you, all because you couldn't handle an inconvenient truth."

"W-whatever! You're not _real!_ You're just some...weird imaginary... _thing!_ You're some gross bug that's messing with my memories!"

Croix let out a low laugh as she sent the Noir devices flying from her hand. "Just a bug, she says."

The rooftop rumbled. The cubes all flew behind Akko, collecting into a swirling mass, and several long, spindly legs stabbed out from the ball-like shape. As the mass grew larger, it took a darker, grayer shade, save for the luminescent red spots running down the side of the creature's thorax.

And Akko found herself face to face with Noir Device's Spider form once again.

The magitronic Spider's footsteps shook the foundation of the building, much harsher than they had the first time, and she fell to the ground. She barely got a chance to move before the creature was on top of her.

Aiming down at her back, it shot her with a strange substance, and her arms were suddenly bound to her sides in its web. She struggled to break free, but the sticky web had no give. Her hands were completely encased, and her wand was on the other side of the unbreakable web.

With a single leg, the magitronic Spider lifted her up by a strand of web to inspect her as she dangled helplessly in front. And then its mouth began to glow, a low humming emanating from its belly.

It was charging up. It was going to fire upon her. And this time, there would be no Ursula to bail her out.

She struggled in vain to break free. Somehow, instinctively, she knew. The blast wasn't going to just hurt. It was going to incinerate her in an instant.

' _Think, think,_ think! _Maybe I can kick my legs, swing out of the way! I could try some sorta...wandless spell? Would that even work? I gotta do something! I gotta-!_ '

Akko stopped struggling.

' _...no, I don't._ '

She glared at Croix. "Y-yeah?! What are you gonna do? Fry your meal ticket?"

She wished she was as confident as she sounded. The Spider's humming reached its peak, and she pinched her eyes shut in preparation. The Spider reared back, and let out a beam of deadly energy.

The blast enveloped her in an instant. For a moment, all she could feel was a burning sensation across every nerve of her body…

And then it stopped.

* * *

Akko opened her eyes. Everything was silent. She looked down at herself. Her arms were free. Her body was overly warm, but she was alive.

And aside from the cut on her cheek, completely unhurt. She noted she was still wearing her school uniform. Her hand quickly went to the back of her head, wondering if she had finally woken up.

But her long hair was still in place. So wherever she was, it was still in the dream. She glanced around.

"Where…?"

Just in front of her was a row of magic mirrors. And just behind her was more of the same, with a small bucket, a rag, and a bottle of fairy dust set down at the foot of one mirror's frame.

She was in the basement lockup of Luna Nova. And if she was back where this all had started, then that meant the mirror with the golden frame had to be here. And when she turned to see it, she let out a gasp at what she saw in its place.

Where the Remembrance Mirror had stood in the real world had been replaced with an unearthly tree, glowing with a pleasant greenish glow. There was an innate sense of familiarity as soon as she laid eyes on it, but if that hadn't been enough, there were the same rotting branches on the side, and the pulsating leech firmly attached to the side.

This tree… _was_ her. This was the extension of the diagram Croix had shown her yesterday morning. She was face to face with her own magic.

She wasted no time in cornering the parasite. She wouldn't even give it the chance to pull anything else. But all she could give was a harsh tug before she was interrupted by a gnawing pain in the pit of her stomach.

When she had attempted to forcibly remove the leech, she had pulled just a sliver of bark off. Yet somehow...she had felt that, in the form of a dull ache.

If this tree was her magic, then _of course_ she couldn't hurt it. If she even snapped a twig, she could permanently damage her ability to do magic. Perhaps even lose it forever.

"So I came all this way for nothing…"

She watched blankly as the parasite pulsated just in time with the sense of disappointment washing over her. She had been holding onto a shred of hope that she could still fix this on her own power. In the end, she supposed it was not to be.

The parasite began pulsating faster and faster, the way a heart might pump, and with it, the mirrors around the lockup began to shine with a bright light.

And suddenly she was lifted from her feet and thrown back into the snow.

She was back in the blizzard on the outskirts of Pohjola, with the wind howling at her ears and the cold nipping at her face. She sat in the snow, emotionless, before eventually, her lips twitched.

To call it a confident smile would perhaps attribute more to it than what was truly there. Rather, trapped in the swirling storm of a blizzard she would never find shelter from, Akko's smile was secure in and of itself.

"Maybe I can't get you out today…" She pushed herself to her feet. "But I know they'll find a way to get rid of you for good. Just a little while longer. I just gotta go a little while longer..."

She brushed her long hair behind her shoulder, and trudged out without direction, to face whatever came next. It was difficult to say how long she kept going, or how many nightmares and perils she was made to face.

But she hadn't woken up yet, and if all the dreams had proven anything, Akko had been through more than her fair share. And if there was one thing she had taken to heart by now, it was how to soldier on in hopes she could find the light at the end of the tunnel.

* * *

The very first thing Akko did when the world suddenly jolted the next time was curl into a ball and hug herself, frantically running her hands up and down her arms. The lab was just below room temperature, but compared to the freezing cold, it might've been a sauna.

Her mind was electric, and her nerves were on their last end. She felt vaguely like vomiting. She wasn't sure how much her shivering was her body trying to adjust to the sudden shift in temperature, and how much was it crying out in fear, awaiting the next danger to jump around the corner.

Diana let out a long, unabashed, and relieved sigh.

"Oh, thank _goodness_ you're okay."

She threw her arms around Akko's shoulders, burying her head against her chest. Akko jumped at the sudden embrace. Akko swallowed hard. "Wh…w-what day is it? How long was I…?"

Diana pulled away with a soft expression. "It's still the 20th. You slept for a little over…" She turned to Constanze, and confirmed the number. "A little 15 hours. But it's over now. You're awake."

Gingerly, Akko reached up to the nape of her neck.

It was bare.

Her hand traveled higher, to the frayed ends of her short hair, exactly how she had cut it. Which could only mean...this was real. She was back in the real world. She hadn't won back her mind, but despite being at the whim of her deepest fear, she had made it out.

"What in the world _happened_ in there?" Diana asked. "You were so cold...and then your cheek started bleeding all on its own. Are you alright? How do you feel?"

Akko smiled ear to ear. "You know what? I think I feel okay."

* * *

 _A.N. Next Time, "Getting Over It_ " _Whaddya think about that? Akko conquered her nightmare at last! But there's still work to be done in the real world! Croix sets out to finish her newest, most benevolent invention, and we catch up with Hannah again. Hope to see you there!_


	16. Getting Over It

_**One Hour Ago...**_

For Hannah, the day seemed to pass by in a blur.

As Akko slumbered, and mentally powered through her final demons, the rest of the Nine New Witches buckled down, set their sights on the finish line, and got to work to fight their way out of the uncertain corner circumstances had forced them into.

The fire was licking at their heels now. They were all filled with an infectious drive to finally end this, to _win_. Lotte and Barbara were working one angle in the Hall of the Nine Olde Witches, and it was easy for Hannah to get swept up in their fever as well.

Lotte approached one of the hats of the Nine Olde Witches, took a deep breath, and began to sing a wistful melody. It was a somber tune that invoked the bittersweetness of a lullaby. And the long dormant hat of one of the propagators of witchcraft stirred. The surface of the hat rippled like a stone tossed in a pool of water, and a small green spirit stepped out.

The spirit was barely the size of Lotte's hand, and its ethereal blue body was decorated with a strange facsimile of a pointed hat and a wizard robe. Hannah and Barbara had to admit they were impressed. They weren't even aware a spirit still lived in something so old and so unused.

"Excuse me for waking you, sir." Lotte bowed respectfully to the aged spirit. "But um, we would like to ask for your help. The witch who wore your hat, she practiced very powerful magic, didn't she?"

"…"

If the spirit had made a noise, none of them could hear it.

Though Lotte seemed to know exactly what it had said. "That's wonderful, sir! But you see, one of our friends is in trouble, and we need magic like that to help her." She held out her hands with a pleading expression. "Please, if you could, lend us some of your power! If you help us, just for a little bit, you might be able to save her life!"

"…"

With a small hop, the spirit of the Nine Olde Witches' hat had evidently agreed to come to their aid. Lotte profusely thanked the spirit for his aid.

Headmistress Holbrooke had been watching the three of them, and not even she could contain her surprise. "Why, Miss Yanson! How impressive! It takes quite an exceptional mastery of the language of spirits to draw a spirit out from something as old as that hat!"

Lotte flushed under the praise. "I-it was nothing special, Headmistress…"

"Still though…" Holbrooke said with a slight frown. "I do trust you're all being responsible with whatever it is this is for, correct? With how understaffed we are at the moment, I don't have much more patience for another crisis."

Hannah stepped up before Lotte could flail out a response. "We're _totally_ being responsible, Headmistress! And like _Diana_ is with us on this, and you know she'd never let something bad happen!"

Holbrooke hummed in agreement. "That _is_ true…but with how suddenly this curse business came up, even the professors are struggling to keep up, and Diana is just a student. Not to mention…"

"No really, we're totally doing okay!" Hannah assured her. "Trust me, if anyone can handle what's going on, it's these guys! The nine of them are like, the smartest witches I know, right Barb?"

Barbara finally caught on to the Hypeman attitude at the sound of her own name. "Oh yeah, totally! Totally. Like with Diana and Ursula and Cr- other people on the case, the other professors won't even have to worry about Akko!"

"Alright, alright…" Holbrooke held up her hand with a smile. "The confidence that comes with youth. I won't ask what it is you're doing, but I wish you all the best of luck."

As the three of them left the office, Hannah felt a tinge of pride in herself. Normally, going around assuaging doubts and assuring everyone they had a lid on things was Diana's expertise, but with her occupied, Hannah was happy she had found a way to contribute.

Lotte was explaining things to the aged spirit resting in her palm as they went to meet up with Croix. Croix's plan to exploit the magic baseline left on Akko by Beatrix and Woodward, however it worked, was risky business. She and Constanze were working tirelessly to build a machine to transfer that energy, but that meant Croix needed _them_ to find some artifact related to the Nine Olde Witches, so they could _direct_ it properly.

According to Ursula, it was a safeguard she had thought of at around 3 in the morning last night.

Back in the lab, things were largely unchanged since Croix sent Lotte on the quick errand. She had left the task of monitoring the sleeping Akko's condition to Constanze, while she worked with a stack of metal and electronic components in the corner. Ursula was alternating between helping the two of them.

Diana still hadn't moved from her seat next to the slab where Akko laid. As far as Hannah had heard, Ursula had to fight her to even allow herself intermittent catnaps. They all knew Akko could be in the nightmare a while, and as much as she protested, Diana wouldn't be able to do anything to help Akko if _she_ passed out of sleep deprivation too.

Croix stopped welding when she noticed Lotte enter. "You got it, kid?"

Lotte shyly presented the small spirit, and Croix appeared genuinely excited at being able to mark another task down and being that much closer.

"Well, what do you know! If this little creature can lend us some magic, we should be able to regulate the device much safer. Nice job."

Barbara playfully elbowed Lotte. "See? I told you it was amazing!"

Lotte's face was almost a solid pink. "R-really...all I'm doing is helping out…"

Hannah, meanwhile, quietly stepped to Diana's side. A brief flash of gratefulness danced across Diana's features.

She was rubbing Akko's hands. The latter was likely too deep in the nightmare to notice. Akko's face and the tips of her fingers were overly red. The lab was just below room temperature, but between that and the pained expression, Akko looked like she was freezing.

"She'll make it." Diana said, more to herself than to Hannah. "I know she will. If anyone has the mental power to overcome this, it's her."

Ursula seemed to light up at Croix's enthusiasm. Part of it seemed to be happiness at seeing Croix in a good mood. "So we have almost everything then, right?"

"...Not quite." Croix said. "We'll need a few spellstones still...Jasminka's getting some machine lubricant now. But we _still_ need some sort of natural mana amplifier, so Akko's body doesn't reject the excess magic."

Diana looked up. "Would Luna Nova's greenhouse have anything like that?"

"I haven't looked there in a long time, but I doubt they have anything potent enough. To be honest, I'm not sure what else we can find on such short notice."

It wasn't like Hannah could suggest anything. At this point, she was just the support.

Fortunately, Ursula finally broke the silence. "A natural amplifier...could the Sapņu Degviela work…?"

Croix's eyes widened. "What? No."

Barbara cocked her head. "The what?"

"Oh, right…" Hannah muttered. "Wasn't that the flower we were looking for when we ran into Professor Ursula and Croix in East Mogiana?"

Diana nodded. "It's a flower, with special magic boosting properties. We thought…" She paused, sparing a glance at the sleeping Akko. "...we thought we could use its properties to make a flight potion. Something that could at least last for a few hours."

"You _did_ bring it with you, didn't you Croix?" Ursula asked.

Croix said nothing, but her gaze drifted over to the laptop, sitting right next to the potted plant containing the magic flower she and Diana had argued over on their small excursion in the East Mogiana Republic.

"Would it work for what we need it to do? As a natural amplifier?"

Croix grimaced. "That's not...it doesn't matter. Chariot, this natural amplifier could be the key to curing Waganadea's Disease. Restoring your flight. If I use this, then I...you might be out of luck for a long time."

Ursula's expression was conflicted as she stepped over to Croix. Her features danced between love and understanding, and a firm resoluteness. Croix did her best to look only resolute.

"Croix...this is more important to me."

"And _this_ is _everything_ to me." Croix said, clutching the pot tightly. "Chariot, if I give this up, you know what that means..."

Akko shifted on her resting place. As the room went silent, the only sound they heard was the sleeping girl's pained moan.

Right before their very eyes, a thin red line was slashed across Akko's cheek. The cut merely appeared, like an invisible force clawing at the supple flesh. Hannah recoiled, disturbed by the sight. Diana made a concentrated effort to stay still. Only Hannah was close enough to see her shaking.

The phantom wound began to bleed, and Diana immediately set about cleaning and dressing it, Croix grimaced at the flower in her hands.

"...If you were using it for a flight potion for the kid," Croix muttered. "...then I assume one of you knows how to process something like this into an elixir?"

Lotte nodded. "Sucy does."

Croix spared a glance over at Ursula, and with but a look, the two seemed to silently exchange a thousand words. Croix let out a long, nasally, sigh.

"...then give this to her." She said, watching as Lotte took the plant from her grasp. "Tell her to see what she can do."

The rest of them, bar Constanze, Ursula and Diana, left the lab to get back to work. And as Hannah heard it, Croix did not speak again until Akko finally woke up.

* * *

 **Now…**

No one had admitted it, but they had all been preparing for the worst when Akko woke up. They were afraid she'd be a nervous wreck, again, and had silently prepared to have to comfort her, reassure her, go through the entire song and dance of yesterday all over.

When Akko came out of the lab, she was weary and sore, and it looked like Diana was almost holding her up as they walked. And yet, as she straightened out the hair hanging above her shoulder, a strained but undeniable smile decorated her face.

Akko laughed. "I'm okay. Really!"

She spent the next hour going around and assuring all of them that she truly _had_ come out of the nightmare okay. She danced around questions of what had happened, and she was clearly on edge. Her good mood was standing upon a very shaky foundation and it wouldn't take much to set it off balance once more, but she genuinely seemed like she was, _almost_ , back to her usual self.

She had lingered around Croix and Lotte the most. Hannah didn't eavesdrop, but it seemed like Akko was going the extra mile to convince them and make sure they knew she appreciated them. Lotte seemed unsure what to do with all the attention she was getting today.

And after that, Akko and Diana got out of the lab as soon as they could. No one could really blame them.

Still, something was egging at Hannah's conscience. Almost all the loose ends were finally getting tied up, except for one crucial detail she couldn't forgive just yet. She still hadn't talked to Akko. Pretty much at all.

Hannah jumped as Amanda suddenly elbowed. "Yo, Hannah. How's it hanging?"

"G-geez! You scared the heck out of me, Amanda!"

Amanda laughed, and hooked an arm around her shoulder as they walked. "Just checking in to see how you were doing. You seem real tense, is all. Like you got this look on your face and everything."

"I...just got some stuff on my mind right now. There's something I have to do, and I just...don't really know how."

"Can't just blow it off?"

"That's what I've been doing this whole time."

Amanda pulled her closer, and Hannah couldn't help but lean into the contact. "If you got something to do, just do it then. You're always so on edge, and I thought you got things figured out yesterday. I mean, you weren't exactly _calm_ back in the aviary, but you were certainly-"

"O-okay, okay!" Hannah held up her hands, feeling a familiar heat in her cheeks. "...look, can we...make a quick stop by my room? There's...something I should check."

Amanda performed a hammy bow to indicate that Hannah could lead the way, and she seemed even more satisfied when it earned her an incredulous snort from Hannah. Things had settled into an easy groove between them after their...talk in the storage closet. Not that it made Hannah less neurotic, but it did make her a little less likely to put her foot in her mouth, now that they've both seen each other at their worst.

Funny, how that worked.

There were still a few things Hannah needed to talk about with Amanda first, especially about where they stood, but if she didn't say her piece to Akko _now_ , she felt like her guilt was going to eat her from the inside out.

When they got to the Blue Team's room, Hannah was not surprised to find that this was where Diana and Akko had snuck away to.

Akko was sitting on her bed, and Diana was sitting behind her back, with the comforting light of a healing spell emanating from her wand. Her other hand was massaging the brunette's shoulder, and Akko let out a blissful sigh.

"Oh!" The slight inclination in Diana's voice was the only sign of her surprise upon being caught in their intimate moment. "...Hannah, Amanda. Nice to see you. Is everything okay?"

Akko's vest and tie were thrown on the floor. She had her blouse sleeves rolled up, but at the same time, she had a blanket very loosely draped over her. It was an odd contrast.

Noticing her stare, Akko chuckled self-consciously. "I know, it's weird. I got stuck in a blizzard. In the uh...dream, I mean. Everything feels either too hot or too cold right now, so I'm kinda...yeah. I'll...have to explain it better some other time."

"But you _will_ talk about it eventually, right?" Diana asked.

Akko frowned. "Do we have to do this _now_ …?"

"No, but keep in mind…"

"I know, I know." Akko sighed. "But just...not right this second, okay? I already promised."

"Yo, didn't mean to interrupt your thing here." Amanda said, as she strolled in and settled on Diana's couch, regardless of her words. "What's with the healing spell?"

"Because my muscles are killing me right now…" Akko said. "I couldn't even handle the amount of running around I do in the dreams in _real_ life. At least I don't think. These kinda mind things just confuse me…"

"Yeah, you're not kidding." Hannah settled in next to Amanda. "This whole thing has been one thing after another. I don't know _how_ you guys handle it."

Akko flexed her back with a pained groan. Without a word, Diana moved her treatment down her spine, and Akko all but melted under the healing spell's light. She glanced over her shoulder with a warm, grateful smile. Diana met her eye, and made a pleased noise somewhere between a hum and a chuckle.

"So what's next for your guys' plan to fix my brain, anyway?" Akko asked.

"It seems like we've cleared the worst of it." Diana said. "Now, we just have to wait until Croix and Constanze can finish their design, and we can finally put this ordeal behind us."

"That's it?" Amanda's eyes widened. "You guys didn't make it sound like we were that close. How much longer we got now?"

"Hard to say. But it appears as though we've finally cleared the worst of it."

Amanda smirked. "Well, thank god for that. Really, Akko, things were moving so fast the other day I never really got a chance to say what's up. I caught you for what, two seconds?"

"Yeah, tell me about it! I can't wait until all this is over and everything can stop being so busy. I _really_ need a break."

Diana nodded. "I must admit, I agree. We've _all_ been burning the candle at both ends lately. It'll be quite the relief to finally relax."

"Maybe we should throw a party when this is over." Akko suggested. "I wanna do something fun and stupid again."

Diana shared a look with Hannah and Amanda. "That's a possibility, I suppose."

"Anyway." Amanda casually leaned back on her chair. "If you ever need anything, hit me up. You know where to find me."

"Well, yeah, same to you!" Akko said. "I owe you guys a _ton_ right now, especially since you're the ones who ended up fixing all this in the end. I'm not really used to not being able to do anything to help, but...I'm trying to be patient with this."

"Patience never was your strong suit."

"Thanks, Amanda."

"Yeah, any time."

Her work finished, Diana shut off her wand. Akko rolled her shoulder in a wide circle with a satisfied groan. Once again, they shared a small, comfortable, unspoken look.

It just made Amanda grin. "Heh. I'm surprised you didn't ask her to take her shirt off, Dr. Cavendish. Missing a prime chance to do some _choice_ healing!"

"H-hey!" Akko cried.

Diana's face did not falter, despite her cheeks coloring. "...This is...not at all that kind of healing spell, you understand. Its purpose is merely to relieve aches and muscle pains. It would be _entirely_ unnecessary to...ah, disrobe for something as menial this."

The advanced and deliberate language, of course, did nothing to diminish Amanda's teasing grin. "Sure, it's not _necessary_ , but it would be more fun, wouldn't it?"

Diana was having difficulty maintaining a straight face. "...I see no reason to dignify that with a response. Is there a particular reason you decided to barge into my room unannounced?"

Amanda shrugged. "Nah, just here for the conversation, you know that."

All the while, Hannah had been staring at the side of Akko's head, weighing her words and trying to bring herself to speak. She considered asking her to step outside for a moment, so they could talk in private, but if she was already sore…

When she considered waiting until she could catch Akko alone another time, Hannah realized all she was doing was stalling. Wringing her hands together, Hannah took a deep breath.

"Uh...actually." She spoke up. "I was the one who wanted to come in here because...I...wanted to talk to Akko for a sec."

Akko shifted forward on the bed to face her directly. "Oh, sure I guess. What's up?"

"...So you remember last ye-" Hannah winced. "Sorry, dumb question! Of course you remember...a-anyway! Um...it's about last year, and um...you and me. I'm sure _Barb_ already said something to you about it, but _I_ didn't, so um…"

Sucking up and biting down the last vestiges of her former prideful attitude, Hannah's gaze dropped.

"…Sorry. About making fun of you and everything. That wasn't...cool."

It took Akko a few seconds to realize what she was talking about. Perhaps with everything going on, she was surprised to hear about something unrelated to the parasite or her dreams. Or perhaps, she simply never even dwelled on it in the first place.

"Oh." Akko's voice was quiet. "…Thank you, I...Really, you didn't have to apologize."

Hannah crossed her arms. "No, I did. I dunno. It's been on my mind, alright? I was dumb and I shouldn't have done it, and...I'm sorry."

"I didn't think it was still bothering you." Akko said. "I thought since you hung out with us, everything was cool."

Hannah shook her head. "I...kinda felt awkward around you guys for a while. And I should've done something sooner, but like I didn't wanna start anything, and I didn't wanna bring you down, and it just...I don't know, felt like-"

Akko ventured to finish for her in place of her rambling. "Like everything's so much better now...so you feel bad that you feel bad, and you're not really sure where you fit with everyone anymore, even though you shouldn't?"

Hannah blinked. "...Yeah. That's...it in a nutshell."

Akko awkwardly shifted under the blanket draped over her shoulders. "Don't get me wrong, this whole nightmare thing sucks. But...I guess it's shown me that I'm really lucky. Even with all the bad stuff going on, I have a lot of really great friends."

Akko beamed ear to ear.

"I'm glad you're one of my friends now, Hannah."

"I…" Hannah closed her open mouth, and returned the expression. "Sure. Yeah, I'm glad you're...yeah."

Amanda leaned back in her seat, and leveled Hannah with a satisfied grin.

"...What?" Hannah narrowed her eyes.

"Nothing! Nothing, just...look at you. Was wondering what had you so outta sorts. Didn't think it'd be that."

"Yes, that was a nice thing you did." Diana agreed.

Hannah's only response was an abashed shrug. She wasn't sure what stunned her more, finally having the moment, or how much of a weight it had managed to take off of her. She hadn't felt comfortable around Akko since she and Diana started _dating_ , and suddenly...they were friends.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Amanda, without a care in the world, leaned right over and planted a messy smooch on her cheek.

Hannah practically glowed scarlet. "A-Amanda! Y-you can't just-!"

"What, you're gonna make a big deal outta this _now?_ " Amanda teased, loosely draping her arm around the shorter girl's shoulder. "Thought ya liked me…"

"Don't…! Don't do just do something like that in front of _them!_ It's-! Y-you-!"

Stuttering in embarrassment was not a good way to get Amanda to stop, but she couldn't help herself. Especially with Diana and Akko _right_ there, and outright watching them.

"Wait…" Akko realized. "You two are a thing?! Wh-when did _that_ happen?!"

"Perhaps three, four days ago?" Diana said. "I don't really recall."

"Ha!" Amanda barked. "You didn't even know? It's half your fault she even had a crush on me in the first place!"

"Huh? How is it-? Oh right, the thing last summer with the pic- _wait_ , did...you have a crush this whole time?"

"Oh my god…" Hannah ran a hand through her hair.

Amanda had to cover her mouth to stop herself from wheezing. "I can't believe it took you _this_ long to figure out!"

Akko's eyes rapidly danced between the three knowing looks being directed her way. "Hey! I...I had a lot going on these past few days! I didn't know you guys liked each other like that! It's not my fault I…!"

When a light, carefree laugh escaped Hannah, Akko crossed her arms and pouted.

"Oh, leave me alone."

Diana let out an uncharacteristically light giggle. Either no longer aware or no longer caring that Hannah and Amanda were there, she brushed a few platinum blonde hairs from her face, and pressed a kiss to the pouting girl's forehead.

"You silly girl." Diana said.

* * *

Croix continued to weld her machine together in silence. The hunk of metal and tubes was finally beginning to take shape, though Croix looked no more enthused about it than she had before.

"Giving it up was the right thing to do, Croix." Ursula said.

Croix shook her head. "So, why exactly is it whenever I do the right thing, it never works out for me?"

"I think it suits you."

Croix chuckled dryly. "Yeah well, first time I tried to do the right thing, I buried my pride and went along with you and the Claiomh Solais, and...that led to me being evil and the moon getting blown up."

She slammed a hatch closed on the device and quickly welded it shut.

"Then after _that_ entire escapade, I eventually do the right thing and help you guys clean up my mess. I get arrested, I go to prison, and now I'm back on Luna Nova violating the hell outta my parole."

Ursula set a hand on her shoulder. "But you're doing what's right, Croix." She said, helping Croix to her feet. "She needs her life more than I need to fly, and you already knew that."

"...Yeah, I did." Croix admitted. "I got issues right now, Chariot. A _lot_ of issues. If I can save her, come at least _close_ to squaring one of these debts away, that'll be one less thing. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to be sardonic about it."

Ursula giggled. "I'd never expect anything else from you…" "But...I'm proud of what you've done here. I know I'll never convince you, but as far as I'm concerned, you've already redeemed yourself today."

There was something more in her look, a question she was not ready to ask, and Croix was not ready to answer. But it was there, and despite her doubts, it gave Croix some semblance of hope for their future.

"...Well, as much as the federal government of the country of England might not like me saying it, it does feel good to invent something again. I'd say this thing's one of my finest pieces. I've been calling it the Mana Tapper."

She gestured to the device that had drifted from the corner to the center of the lab. Compared to many of Croix's other inventions, which were sleek, and designed with a clear aesthetic in mind, the Mana Tapper was inelegant and not clearly shaped like anything.

At best, it consisted of a large metal box, with uneven holes in the casing exposing wires and electronic components. Cables and antenna jutted out at random, and the complete right side had an odd funnel shape to it, facing outwards.

Ursula smiled. "It kind of looks like a funnel."

"It's not a funnel." Croix said flatly. "Believe it or not, trying to build something on short notices and short resources isn't very easy."

"I know, I know!" Ursula said to Croix's bruised pride. "I'm just saying, it has a bit of a funnel shape to it. The Mana Tapper, you said? I like that."

Croix nodded. "Good, because if you start calling this the Shiny Funnel, I swear to god I'm leaving."

Constanze poked her head out from the opposite side of the machine, wiping grease stains off her gloves. Her Stanbot unfolded on her head.

"Query; Should we not route power through the lower circuit?"

Croix bent down to inspect where Constanze was working. "No, we want to focus all this through the higher circuit. We want to avoid as much impedance as possible."

"Current array will lead to eventual wear and tear on the sub processor."

"We're not building for longevity, this is a one and done thing, and we _need_ it at maximum effectiveness the first time." Croix said. "You're smart, kid. But I'm practically the pioneer of magitronics. I know what I'm doing. Pass the 3mm."

Constanze handed her a small wrench. "Miss Constanze simply does not want machine to fail. Croix has very bad track record with functionality."

Croix glared. " _Listen_ , the Noir Rod opened the Grand Triskellion, just as I planned! And the Spirit Devices undeniably collected emotional energy, just like they were built to do! They just...got a little overzealous."

Ursula cleared her throat. "L-let's not argue! You're both _very_ smart." And in a quieter voice, she added, "And Croix, I'm sure some of those inventions you're talking about are things you want to brag about…"

Croix shrugged. "Sure, I'm not proud of them, but they _were_ effective up to a point. All I'm saying is I know what I'm talking about. Grab the ATX there."

"Reminder: Amanda was able to defeat one of your Noir monsters with an old sword."

"Constanze…" Ursula warned.

"Hey, those creatures weren't fighting at maximum capacity in the _first_ place. Besides, I seem to remember the crow form giving your robot a run for its money. Hold that down for me."

Constanze steadied the piece of circuity while Croix soldered it in. "Reminder: Miss Constanze's robot defeated your crow. With very little effort."

Croix barked out a laugh. "Why, you arrogant little _bastard!_ If I didn't need a lab assistant…!"

Constanze's eyes snapped up, an outright offended look stricken on her face.

"Yeah, that's right. My device, my design, so that makes you _my_ lab assistant."

Ursula relented with a small sigh. As she watched the two go at it, her expression turned distinctively softer. As much as she wished the circumstances were better, she was glad to see how much inventing seemed to reignite the spark inside of Croix.

She hoped once this was over, Luna Nova would reimburse her vacation days and Croix could get a _real_ break.

"So are we close?" Ursula asked.

"Still need a few more pieces for the final upgrade. But if this initial test run goes well, we can easily get this finished in just a few." She turned to Ursula with a bright expression. "We're close."

Constanze wired the funnel end of the Mana Tapper up to a very simple Magic Battery, and hooked a pair of jumper cables to the business end of Ursula's wand. The final design that would help Akko wouldn't need such cables, but before they could remodel it to work, they needed to test the fundamental principles of the machine.

Ursula handed her wand over to Croix. "So what exactly is this meant to do here?"

"I'm going to concentrate my magic, and see if I can't channel it into the battery. If we can maintain a full charge on this, then it should easily be able to channel magic from person to person."

"And if all this works, we can finally break the parasite's hold on Akko?"

Croix nodded. "That's the plan."

Her grip tightened around the wand, and her expression was like a solemn prayer. She poured all her magic into the wand, but the metal prongs did not light up with energy. Thanks to the magic left by the spirit of the hat of the Nine Olde Witches, the magic successfully directed itself through the machine itself.

The Battery's indicator empty gauge began to fill. One bar of battery life. Then two, then three, until finally it was full. And not only was it full, it was holding.

The prototype was working. Injecting pure, undistilled magic into a single source was the fundamental principle of the risky treatment they were planning for Akko, and the single hardest part. And it was working.

Croix waited a few moments longer than was necessary to turn off her magic. Largely, because she was overjoyed at having finally created something that honestly _worked_ , after all these long months of chasing dead ends.

She handed Ursula's wand back to her with what might've been the largest grin Ursula had ever seen on her. "...so let's figure out how to get those spellstones. Then we just need Sucy to bring us the elixir. After that, I...think we're done."

* * *

 _A.N Next Time: "Carrot and Stick_ " _Hannah and Amanda gather spellstones for the final preparations to the Shiny Funnel...hope that goes well. But next time, without a doubt, the cure for Akko's nightmares is finally within reach!_


	17. Carrot and Stick Part I

Amanda, to the surprise of most in the room at the time, had stepped up to the responsibility of collecting the spellstones they needed for the device. It was less surprising that Hannah immediately stepped up to join her.

Hannah supposed it was predictable of her, but for the first time, she didn't seem to mind what people thought. After finally clearing the air with Akko, she genuinely felt good about herself, and with that being the case, she saw no reason to fight against the urge to spend more time with Amanda.

As the two of them prepared to set out, Constanze, alongside Jasminka, was there to see the two of them off. The Stanbot unfolded from its usual perch atop its creator's head. "Croix requires at least 3 spellstones! But Miss Constanze knows at least half a dozen are required! Be sure to get at least that many!"

Jasminka looked curiously at Constanze. "You're not still upset Croix rejected your changes, are you?"

Constanze's embittered expression said all they needed to know. Jasminka gave her a sympathetic pat on the back.

"There, there…" Jasminka said. "But at least we're getting close now, aren't we? It's amazing how fast you two are working, especially when you're working together."

Constanze shrugged. "Final adjustments still required." The Stanbot said. "May take up to another 10 hours of labor at max. Miss Constanze also wishes to test the primary activators once materials are collected."

"Yeah, yeah, but we _got_ it, right?" Amanda said. "We get you guys your rocks and then we got everything we need and we're just about done."

Constanze nodded.

Amanda grinned. "That's what I wanna hear. You think we need more stones, Consey, I'll trust your judgement. Just leave it to me."

"Miss Constanze did not believe Amanda would ever volunteer for additional work…"

Amanda scoffed playfully. "Might wanna reprogram your bot. _Clearly,_ he doesn't know the first thing about me. 'Sides, it's not like I'm _really_ working. This oughta be a cinch."

Hannah let out a small laugh. "Yeah, something like this should be _easy_ for such a great member of the Nine New Witches!"

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Ugh, don't start that again…"

Hannah was only encouraged by the beginnings of a flush on Amanda's face. "Why not? You just said it yourself! Something like this should be easy for such an incredible person!"

" _God_."

"Like you're clever, and you're really good with people, and you always know what to do, so of course this'll be a snap for you!"

"O-okay! Okay, enough of that." Amanda shook her head. "Let's just...figure out where we're gonna get these spellstones already..."

Amanda set off with a small grumble, leaving before anyone's sight could linger on the tinge of color on her cheeks. As the three of them watched her retreating backside, Jasminka let out a giggle.

"I never thought I'd see someone turn the tables on her." She mused. "That's pretty impressive, Hannah."

Hannah tried not to feel too satisfied.

* * *

It became apparent they would not be able to scrounge up enough spellstones on campus. With the revival of Yggdrasil, concentrated ingots of magic like spellstones or the Sorcerer's Stone itself were slowly getting phased out.

While on one hand that meant obtaining them was less tied behind red tape, it also meant there was much less reason to carry them around in school when the space could be better used. And it was getting fairly dark out as well. The academy stores were closed, and most people who might have a collection in Luna Nova were turning in for the night.

Consequently, the pair made an excursion to Blytonbury, with the dubious consent of Ursula and Croix. More specifically, the two of them were heading to the _Last Wednesday Society_. Amanda was sure if anyone in town was carrying spellstones, it was the shop's owner. While Hannah had never met him, Amanda assured her that he would help them out.

He wasn't exactly a friend of any of them, Red Team included. Amanda couldn't even recall if he had a name. But he graciously sheltered the seven of them on that particular winter night none of them liked to talk about. Friend or not, he was an undeniable ally.

So Amanda was much less surprised than Hannah was when they arrived at the shop, and found he had an entire bin of loose spellstones locked behind the counter. _Far_ more than the amount Croix and Constanze needed.

But as Amanda pulled out her wallet and inspected closer, they were left with a different problem.

"A hundred and fifty bucks _each?!_ " She cried.

The shopowner nodded indifferently. "That's right."

She had thought to bring money with them, but she had only brought 200, figuring that would cover such a meaningless item.

She leaned over the counter, feigning a confident look to the man. "C'mon, can't you cut us a _little_ deal here? I mean, who's out here buying a bunch of useless rocks these days?"

The shopowner wasn't moved. "There's still a market for these. Witches might not need 'em as much, but there's plenty of others who still want these while the schools hog all the new magic. I had a goblin come in the other day and by twenty of them. Nice guy, sent a few out to his cousin in the states."

"Can't I even get a discount?" Amanda asked. "I mean, _I_ was one of the ones who brought back the magic tree, that's gotta be worth something, doesn't it?"

"It's store policy not to haggle."

"Aw, c'mooon!" Amanda said in a casual voice. "You know me! Can't a loyal customer get a little something something back for her continued patronage?"

The shopowner dismissively arched a brow. "…considering the kind of stunts you've pulled on my store, you're lucky I even do business with you at all."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

The shopowner folded his arms across his chest. "I know you're the one who stole the Shooting Star."

Amanda stiffened, if only slightly "...Doesn't really sound like something I would do."

"One day I'm going to be able to prove it, and then you're out of here. And until then, I'm not giving you any special treatment."

Amanda swallowed. "L-look, this...I mean...it's not _really_ …"

To Hannah's surprise, the hotheaded, daredevil, always-looking-for-a-challenge Amanda, actually backed down. She uncharacteristically shied away from the counter, with a conflicted expression etched on her features.

Hannah stepped forward in her stead. "Okay yeah, I know we don't have enough _now_ , but can't we just give you like...two hundred up front, and pay the rest later? Other people are _counting_ on us, and we gotta get these tonight. And we're good for it!"

The shopowner grimaced.

"I'll totally pay interest later, if that's what it takes! Someone's life might actually _depend_ on these. She _needs_ them. You can ask Diana, or Professor Ursula! They'll vouch for us!"

The shopowner awkwardly scratched at his neck. "I'm... _really_ not supposed to give things like these out on credit…"

"Please." Hannah said. "She...she's my friend. I can't let her down."

The shopowner only paused for a few seconds, but Hannah would've sworn it took him much longer to decide.

"...alright, alright." The shopowner sighed. "Just...try to pay this off before too long. I _do_ have a business to run..."

Hannah and Amanda's faces lit up.

* * *

As he reluctantly traded the meager amount of money for a small bag of spellstones, Hannah made sure to utterly shower the man in 'thank you's. With their prize finally in hand, and the final material they needed to defeat the parasite once and for all, Hannah made sure to utterly shower the man in 'thank you's. With their prize, they returned to Amanda's broom and hurried back in the direction of Luna Nova.

Amanda was quiet as they took off into the air. " ...Thanks for covering for me there." She said in a low voice. "Didn't really think they'd be so pricey, y'know?"

Hannah scooted forward on the broom. It was a nice excuse to get closer. "As long as we got it, right?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Amanda nodded absently. "My family's actually kinda loaded, so that's...a little embarrassing, actually. Probably should've thought of that, I guess."

Hannah nodded. She recalled back in _this_ year's broom race, Akko had mentioned some shopowner placing a bet on Diana winning a second year in a row. She wondered if absently recognizing Hannah as being the roommate of his prime choice had won her any favors.

"So what he said back there about the Shooting Star…" Hannah asked. "Did you actually…?"

"Yeah, I stole it." Amanda shrugged. She admitted it with the same reverence someone might confess to taking an extra free sample at the grocery store. "Thought about going back and swiping the spellstones too."

"Could you...actually do that?"

"Oh sure." Amanda said. "He just had him behind a simple padlock. You just get him distracted for a few minutes, pick the lock and pocket what you can. Dude's really not tight with his inventory."

Hannah wasn't sure how to take that. "Uh...so...why didn't you?"

"I dunno. Thought about it, and it just seems like it might've not worked out in the long run, especially with everything going on."

Hannah thought she had been hearing tiredness in Amanda's voice, but listening closer, it sounded closer to melancholy. "Are you feeling okay?"

"...I was just thinking…." She glanced over her shoulder. "You...don't think I was _too_ much of a jerk with Diana and Akko back there, do you? Like how I kinda made fun of 'em and everything?"

"You were just teasing, right? I'm pretty sure they knew that. They didn't seem very bothered."

Amanda hummed. "I figured as much, I was just...I dunno, wanted to know what you thought. Like I _figured_ they were all being so serious and could…" She shook her head. "...Here, hold on for a sec."

The broom began to climb, far higher in the air than they actually needed to be.

"W-what are you doing?" Hannah asked.

"Just...I wanna do something real quick."

Hannah's stomach flipped as Amanda's broom rocketed upwards. She squeezed her arms tighter around Amanda's waist as the broom climbed higher and higher into the night sky. She had never flown this high before, and it had not been a record she was eager to break.

"O-oh no." Hannah squeaked. "Um, okay okay okay. I...I think we're high enough, right? Y-you can go a little lower now!"

"Ah, this? This ain't nothing." She could hear the smirk in Amanda's voice.

"T-this is definitely something! This is definitely _way_ higher than I'm used to, so mayb- _Amanda!_ "

As the broom suddenly lurched even higher, Hannah pinched her eyes shut and clung like her life depended on it. Underneath her arms, she felt the movement of Amanda's stomach as she laughed, though she couldn't hear it over the sound of the wind rippling past her ears.

In a different moment, she might've noted how Amanda had ever so slightly scooted backwards to accommodate her, make it that much easier for Hannah to scrunch her face up against the back of the taller girl's uniform.

Hannah was too focused on clinging like her life depended on it to note such a subtle movement.

When the broom finally slowed to a halt, hovering in the brisk air, Amanda awkwardly shifted herself around to look more directly at her. "Hey, open your eyes." She said.

Hannah's eyes remained firmly shut. "A-are we on the ground, yet?"

"Would you just look? Baby."

Amanda's hand rested on Hannah's thigh, half just to steady her. Hannah dared to peek her eyes open. And as soon as the view below them came into focus, she perked up with a gasp.

Far below them, as far as the eye could see, the city of Blytonbury glimmered in the night sky. The windows and the streetlights bathed the streets in a golden hue, and the dark blue rooftops were lit only by the moonlight in starless sky.

She had been to the city dozens of time, but never at night. Never at this angle. She had always spent so much time looking up to those around her. It was rather breathtaking to be so high up that everyone down below were nothing but silhouettes on the golden streets.

"I don't think I've ever...Wow."

Amanda just smiled wider at her reaction. She was too used to the view to pay it attention. She was content just to watch the girl next to her, the way her hair blew in the wind and the light reflected off her eyes.

And it took Hannah much longer to notice Amanda's gaze. The tips of her ears grew warm. "Um…s-so...this is _nice?_ " Once again, not really a question. "But I mean, what's up with this…?"

"I just like it." Amanda shrugged. "Like I said, flying is freeing. You can just come up here, go wherever you want, and there's no meaningless rules or people to yell at ya for breaking them."

"I-is this the kinda stuff you do all the time? How you always get to see…?"

"...So you apologized." Amanda said at last, crossing her arms. "You did this whole thing and made the choice to be like a better person and that's...pretty cool. And I'm thinking, maybe I should be doing something like that too?"

"What?" Hannah blinked. "But what would you need to apologize for?"

"Nah, not apologizing. But like...I feel like I gotta do a bit more here, right? Like I never did much about your crush because I thought it was fun seeing you flustered, and I didn't say nothing about Akko's dreams because I thought she was wigging out about nothing."

"You know all that stuff with Akko was just a mistake though, right? You shouldn't-"

"No, no, no, I get it!" Amanda said. "I'm not beating myself up for it, it was just a dumb mistake and it's getting fixed now, so it's fine! But...like usually when I make a mistake, it's just whatever, because it's not like it's gonna _matter_ in like 10 years. But with Akko and...especially with _you_ …"

Amanda sniffed, and scratched at her nose.

"...I don't wanna do something stupid with _you_ , right? And I guess what I'm trying to say but not actually saying is, I always said you gotta live in the moment and not worry about what comes after, and that's what I kept saying to you before you asked me out, except now all that 'what comes after' is actually important again."

Hannah reached out, and laid her hand on top of Amanda's. "I think I get what you mean."

Amanda blinked. "Do you? Because I was almost positive I was rambling like a psychopath there."

Hannah snorted. "Well, I don't think there's anything like, _really_ wrong with taking things as they come. I never would've even said anything to you if you hadn't kept kicking me in the butt about it. I think it's _good_ that you don't get so hung up on everything. I _like_ that you can bounce back so fast."

"Yeah," Amanda agreed, "but it might not hurt to actually _try_ to think about these things. You guys are important to me. And yeah, _you're_ important to me, Hannah."

"I…A-Amanda…"

"So if _you're_ gonna make the effort, and Diana and Akko and everyone's gonna go out of their way, I figure I owe it to you guys to try something too."

Amanda was perhaps not sure what point she had made, and Hannah couldn't quite put her finger on it either. But at the same time, they both recognized that _something_ had changed between them, and somehow, that made Amanda breathe a little easier.

And indeed, a calmer smile _already_ began to work its way up Amanda's lips. She had never done anything slow and deliberate in her life. While it would be hard to change that, but Hannah knew by now there were some things you just needed off your chest.

As Hannah dwelled on the thought, another nagging question came to mind. "So...can I ask _you_ something?"

"Sure. Not like I'm going anywhere."

"So like if we're... _dating_ now, and we like...you know, we...back in the storage closet there, does that make us... _girlfriends_? Like is it cool if I call you…?"

Amanda barked out a laugh. "You get _way_ too hung up on labels."

"W-well I-! I don't want to do something that'll weird you out or make you feel…" Hannah performed an indecipherable gesture with her hand, attempting to call up the word. "...weird."

"You wanna date me?"

"W-what?"

"You wanna date me?" Amanda repeated.

"...Yes?" Hannah cocked her head. She was fairly certain that had been the entire purpose of asking her out on a date.

"Alright, and I already said I wanted to date you, so…!" She clapped. "Girlfriends. Done and done. And hey, that was pretty much the whole reason I wanted you to come up here, to welcome you to _my_ side."

Amanda grinned at her confidently, and even went so far as to wink. But Hannah just stared at her curiously. It was as though Amanda had told a joke that had flown over her head.

"You knooow…" Amanda egged her on. "Because like you said it doesn't _have_ to be me against the world, right? And...you said you wanted to be on my side? Back in the…?"

"...oh wait, are you talking about what we talked about in the closet again?"

"You said you wanted to be like _part_ of my world, and I'm always riding, so if I bring you up here, it's like I'm...welcoming you to my…" Amanda groaned and turned her head, her face flushing. "You know what, never mind. Forget I did any of this, this was dumb."

Hannah grew self-conscious. "N-no, no! I get it, I get it now! It was cute! I got it! T-thank you!"

"Look, let's just get back and forget I said anything, alright? Just...after all this bug crap is over, I'll...think of something nice to do for you. Promise."

Amanda began to turn back and prepare for the flight home. The significance of what she had admitted, and what she had tried to do, was not lost on Hannah. Her heart raced at the thought of what Amanda might think of for the two of them to do together. But not before Hannah succumbed to the pull of desire.

She quietly tapped Amanda's shoulder. "Uhm...before we go back, c-can I do something really quick too?"

The kiss Hannah pressed was impulsive and carefree. Amanda was surprised at first, but gladly returned the embrace with all her characteristic confidence. And with their lips pressed together, the rumble of her lighthearted laugh was all encompassing.

* * *

 _A.N. still having trouble with writing, so I split this into two and made this part longer. Still a shorter update than usual but ehhh it is what it is_

 _Part 2 continues with these two and also Akko and the others_


	18. Carrot and Stick Part II

Akko was shaking with excitement. She was overflowing with a strange mix of agitation and anticipation, and she was drumming her fingers on her upper thigh.

Diana was watching her with an amused smile. She lifted the hand from Akko's leg, pulled it to her own side, and gave it a small squeeze. It did nothing to curb Akko's agitation, but it did help to ground her.

"Sorry…" Akko mumbled. "Just excited."

"I know." Diana said. "I am too."

They all watched with bated breath as Croix and Constanze worked away on installing the spellstones into the machine. Despite the reminders that they had work cut out for them, Akko was sure this was it. This would be the last time the eleven of them would have to gather in the lab. This was the end of the nightmares, of the parasite, for good.

"I'm _so_ ready to finally get this thing out of my head, Diana. Do you know how nice it'll be to just...take a nap again?"

Next to them, Sucy, Amanda, Barbara, they all looked ready to make a crack at her for such a lofty ambition, though she knew they were all on the same boat. It would be nothing but a relief to shed the weight of all this anxiety and worry from their shoulders. Intermittently, they talked about what they would do after and where they would go.

"Just a bit longer than." Diana smiled sweetly. "We're nearly there."

Akko decided she could be patient until she could go home and see her parents, even if it was later than she originally wanted. She had the most amazing people to thank in the meantime.

Croix stood up from the device, and rolled her neck, eliciting a loud crick. "Well, that should be it for the primary actuators…"

"What's that mean?" Akko asked eagerly. "Is it finally done?"

Croix gave Constanze the signal to patch the machine up. "We still got a few kinks to work out before we can safely use it, but what it means is the magic transferring system itself _should_ be up and running, and that's the most important part."

The former professor couldn't hide the hint of pride in her voice, and Akko didn't blame her.

Croix and Constanze had been working nonstop to build it. Sucy had processed an elixir to help stabilize it. Lotte found a spirit to direct it. Everyone else had helped out to find the supplies they needed, and now Ursula was to use test it, and eventually, use it. All of that, to cure her.

Her eyes began to water. She had a debt of gratitude she wasn't sure she would, _could,_ ever repay as long as she lived. While she was already feeling sensitive after all the sleepless nights, she was easily overcome.

Croix stiffened as Akko suddenly threw her arms around her. The former professor seemed entirely unsure how to react to the hug, to say nothing of feeling comfortable enough with physical affection to hug back.

Akko pulled away with an embarrassed grin. "I just...I have to thank you! Even though we...had a bunch of trouble in the past and I messed up your vacation with Ursula, you still helped me. If it wasn't for you and Constanze, and...and everyone else, I don't know _what_ I'd do."

Croix coughed into her hand. . "...yeah, well. Let's just...call it even."

Ursula set a hand on the younger girl's shoulder with a tender smile. "Don't forget, none of this could've happened if you hadn't been as patient and understanding as you have been. You really have grown up."

Akko flushed under the praise. She didn't feel ready to accept it quite yet.

For safety purposes, Croix had planned to perform one last test of the device's functionality now that all the materials had been gathered. Ursula had suggested that Diana and Akko come to watch, but once again, _all_ of them just naturally gravitated together.

"But you _did_ say that if this test works, it's not gonna take much longer to finish the funnel thing, right?" Akko asked. "Your...what's the thing called, anyway? The Noir Funnel or something?"

Croix let out a long, nasally sigh. "...Yes." She droned. "The _Mana_ _Tapper_ is almost done."

Constanze bolted the last piece of the Noir Funnel's casing into place, and gave Croix the thumbs-up to go. Croix took a few loose cables and hooked them up to an empty magic battery, and gave Ursula the signal to begin her part.

Akko had only been very quickly briefed on their plan, to overclock the mark Woodward had left on her and break the parasite's grip. Magic batteries in general were designed to release excess mana to prevent overflow or a burst, so the test was to see if Ursula could cause exactly that; to break the rules and blow the top of the battery.

As Ursula focused her energy through her wand, the magic radiating off the metal prongs was sucked into the machine's funnel. The magic flowed from the wand directly into the battery itself, yet another thing it was not supposed to be able to do.

It took barely a second for the battery to fill completely with energy, and it was holding, even as Ursula poured more and more into it. Croix and Constanze traded encouraging technobabble that Akko couldn't truly catch a word of, but she had a hunch it concerned how to prepare to modify the machine for use on Akko herself, now that everything was working.

And then the Noir Funnel let out a harsh grinding noise. The conversations stopped. Ursula murmured to herself, and briefly lowered her wand. But she quickly decided against it, and chose to pour even more magic into the device.

"No, wait, Chariot!" Croix warned.

Ursula kept going regardless. Perhaps she was emboldened by how close they finally were to finishing this, or perhaps with her unfamiliarity with such technology she didn't know what else to do. But she kept going, until the top of the Noir Funnel itself burst off the machine and sent inky black smoke billowing in the professor's face.

" _Chariot!_ " Croix cried.

Croix dropped everything. Fanning away as much smoke as she could, she yanked Ursula out of the cloud and into fresher air, fear etched onto her features.

Ursula coughed harshly into her hand. "W-wha...what in the world went wrong?"

"I'm not sure." Croix admitted. "But you shouldn't have-"

As Croix paused, it finally dawned on Ursula that everyone in the lab was looking at her with stunned expressions. "What?"

"Chariot, your hair."

Ursula took hold of the ponytail resting on her shoulder and held it closer to inspect. The tips of her hair were a familiar shade of blue. After a few seconds, the color faded to a dull purple, and finally back to its natural red hue.

Despite Ursula's confusion, Croix was somewhat intrigued. "Well that's...a reaction."

Ursula's brows furrowed. "I...I think I just...felt the same magic I used for my disguise. But I definitely didn't cast it."

Croix silently checked over Ursula to ensure she hadn't suffered any injuries. Constanze frantically typed at her laptop and ran diagnostics.

"Croix!" The Stanbot called out. "Mana Tapper only suffered a minor malfunction in the sub processor! All other systems remain operating at projected capacity!"

"That can't be right. The thing blew its top. How could it be operating at capacity?"

"Malfunction was caused by an error on the input end! Unexpected backlash of magic overloaded circuit."

"A Backlash?" Croix murmured. "It's designed to push magic _outward_. If the machine's working, what could've caused it to-?"

Ursula watched as the last of the unnatural hue faded from her locks, and her hair completely returned to its natural red shade. "Does it have something to do with my Wagandea's Disease?"

Croix groaned. "...Damn it."

"It's alright, Croix."

Croix chuckled dryly and humorously. " _Alright?_ This is _my_ fault again. With how unstable your magic is…I should've predicted it could cause some sort of pushback. Why didn't I…?"

Diana's eyes were narrowed, and her lips pressed together in a thin line. "Wait just a second. You didn't even _account_ for the fact she had this condition? How could you forget?"

"I didn't forget!" Croix defended herself. "Do you honestly think I wasn't aware she had Wagandea's Disease? No, but it shouldn't have even been a factor. In the schematics, the device should've bypassed the…"

Diana rolled her eyes. "Well, thank heaven we performed this test. What if we had-?"

" _Diana_." Ursula cut her off. "It was just a mistake. Blaming isn't going to help us."

Diana sighed. "...Yes. My apologies." She said. "So what precisely did happen, Croix, and how do we fix it?"

"And why did it change my hair back?"

Croix pushed Constanze aside to go over the schematics herself, a huff hot on her lips. "Maybe because you maintained that spell for so many years, it's just engrained within you? Like I keep reiterating, these aren't exactly the kind of forces we're meant to be meddling with."

As the two had argued, Hannah absently picked up the misshapen metal panel that had been the machine's top, Amanda fanned at the smoke, and Akko stood frozen with anxiety.

She may not have understood all of this, but she knew the plan had been a desperate gamble. And if _that_ hadn't worked...

Once again, Ursula set a hand on her shoulder. She didn't smile this time. "So what do we do now, Croix? Isn't there a way someone else can amplify Woodward's mark?"

Croix shook her head. "You're and the kid are the only ones who have that mark. Without that direct link, we're adding a ton of variables that I don't know we can account for."

"But there's _gotta_ be something you can do!" Akko cried. "You made all this!"

"I...just don't know, kid. Messing with the magic of the Nine Olde Witches is risky as it is. I could do this because I was already familiar with Chariot and Woodward. Without that…"

Diana stepped forward. "I can do it."

Croix and Akko's attention snapped to her. Though she stood as calm and controlled as ever, Diana had a fire in her eyes, that refused to be extinguished.

"Forgive me if I misunderstood, but you're trying to create an energy surge based around the Nine Olde Witches' marks to incapacitate the parasite. And _I'm_ Beatrix's descendant. We _still_ have a way to fix this."

The rest of the Nine caught on quickly. "Oh!" Lotte realized. "And since Akko has Beatrix's blessing, we could use that link, right?"

"Hey! Way to go, Cavendish." Amanda grinned.

"Croix!" Ursula said. "Would that work?"

Croix crossed her arms in thought. "Well...the mark Beatrix left on her is the weaker of the two...but the kid _does_ have a more direct link to Beatrix than you do to Woodward..."

Ursula pursed her lips. "Diana? Are you _sure_ you're ready to do this? I can't possibly expect you to…"

But Diana just nodded. "As I've already said, I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to help Akko. And if this can finally remove this affliction? I'll _gladly_ take the risk."

Diana shot Akko a confident smile. Akko couldn't find the strength to speak.

Ursula sighed. "...then I'm sorry. I feel like I've failed you all, asking you to put yourself on the line when it should be _my_ responsibility as your professor...but I suppose you've _all_ grown up. If I can't take the risk from you, then I'll support you as best as I can."

It was a setback, to be sure, but the Nine were undeterred. They had moved heaven and earth once before, and they prepared to do it again. It was still far from over. Setback or not, they still had a solution.

The Stanbot cried out. "Miss Constanze believes this shall only require minor adjustments to Mana Tapper's design! Basic design principles should remain the same!"

Croix nodded. "Alright, so it'll be a little more _work_ , but we have everything we need already. If we're all in agreement, then we just need to adjust a few things."

Diana began to walk over to the laptop to overlook the work and see what they might need from her to modify the design to work off of Beatrix's mark.

Only for Akko to hold out her arm and block her path.

"Is it safe?" She asked Croix.

"Akko…?"

Akko's frown deepened. "When Ursula did it, the thing blew up and she almost got hurt. So what's gonna happen to Diana if we do this? What's gonna happen to her if _she_ uses it?"

She could see the sentiment echoed in Ursula's eyes, as much as the professor tried to mask it. Croix had even less confidence on her face.

"...Really, we're just running numbers here. I...I'm not sure what the worst-case-scenario would be, but...well, it _could_ just be nothing and Diana is unscathed. But if something _seriously_ went wrong...there _is_ a chance it could affect her ability to do magic. Permanently."

The lab fell silent as Diana stiffened. They all knew the kind of ambitions Diana held, what something like that would mean for her. It was an impossible choice. And one she didn't even get to make.

"...We have a deadline to meet, don't we?" Diana said. "We have the means to finish this, so let's do it."

Akko's voice was like steel. " _No._ We aren't doing it."

Croix rubbed at her temples. "Kid...what else are we _supposed_ to do?"

Diana agreed. "Akko, I'm fine with accepting this. It'll be okay."

Akko believed in optimism. She believed in the best intentions, that people could change, that things could work out, and that despite how it might seem sometimes, the world was ultimately good.

But she did _not_ believe in luck. "It's _not_ okay!" Akko growled. "You can't do this, Diana! What if it does go wrong? "

"Don't be silly. I can handle this, Akko."

"Don't be _silly?!_ " Akko was incredulous. "What if this ruins your magic? What about all your dreams? Or even just going to school here? You can't give all that up! You can't...I can't let you do this!"

Diana was stricken, and shook her head in disbelief. "Why are you fighting us? I just to want to help you."

"We don't necessarily know that something _would_ happen." Croix said. "You _did_ ask for the worst-case-scenario. It could just end up being nothing."

"No!" Akko argued. Her face was red, and hot. " _This_ isn't gonna help! We have to find another way!"

"Another way?" Croix frowned. "It's been taking everything we've got to make _this_ , and we're not even _done_ yet."

Ursula bent down consolingly. "Akko, sweetie, I know you're worried. But I don't know if we have a choice here."

" _Enough!_ " Diana held up her hands. "Akko, _you_ have been at risk this entire time. And if shouldering that for a few moments will help ensure the end of that, then so be it. Do you _want_ to keep having nightmares?"

"N-no! Of course not! But that doesn't mean-!"

Diana huffed. "This is what Ursula meant when she said to focus on what's real. Yes, this isn't ideal, but it's the only choice we have. You're-"

"Not worth it! Nothing's worth giving all that up for!"

"For crying out loud, I'm trying to save your life! We're _this_ close to curing you and you pick _now_ to start fighting us again?"

Akko felt something pricking in the corners of her eyes. "Because this is crazy! I don't care what they say, there's no _way_ you can do this! There's no way you can do this because of _me!_ "

"I'm _choosing_ to do this!"

"And I'm choosing not to let you!" Akko clenched her fists tightly. "What if you _do_ get hurt, Diana?! What then?! How am I supposed to live with myself if you got hurt saving me?"

"You're _already_ hurt!"

Akko threw her hands up with an angry, frustrated cry. Tears fell freely down her cheeks, and the room felt like it was spinning. She felt like she was suffocating, like she was trapped.

So she ran from the room, and didn't look back.

"Don't, Akko! Don't just run off and-!"

Akko's stride did not break. She ignored Diana and everyone else yelling out for her to stop, to come back, and made a mad dash for her room. She angrily rubbed at her eyes, berating herself for crying, again. For breaking down, again. She felt like all her efforts to get better had been for nothing.

But she couldn't compromise. Not on this. Yes, she had resolved to follow Ursula's advice, but everything she had done since the first dream had been to ensure this exact scenario did not happen. She did not want to lose Diana.

All this time, she had been doing everything in her power to avoid losing Diana, memory or otherwise, so how could she throw that away at the last minute? She knew her luck. And if one thing was clear to her, it was that there was no way she could stake Diana's safety on her luck.

But what other choice did she have? Of _course_ she wanted the nightmares to end. She was _tired._ Her body cried out for a good night's sleep. To be able to simply close her eyes and feel safe in her bed again. She was _sick_ of having her emotions toyed with, of knowing in the back of her mind every bit of stress just made it all the worse.

She had been fighting herself every night on every decision. She had forced herself to accept she couldn't beat this on her own. She forced herself to be patient and go against her every instinct and let everyone _else_ solve her problem for her.

How much was too much to ask for?

She knew something had to give eventually, but what? How could she choose between the two? Her mind raced, desperate to think of some way to get rid of the nightmares _and_ to not risk Diana's safety. She was sure there had to be some other solution, something they had overlooked, something they could do to have both.

Angry and desperate, Akko found her second wind. She didn't care if the nagging voice in the back of her mind told her she was powerless, and she didn't care if everyone told her she had to give up, because she wasn't, and she couldn't.

There had to be a way. She just had to keep going, to think, to find it. She believed, she _knew_ , in her heart, that there _had_ to be a way.

* * *

A short time later, the girls all found themselves outside of the Red Team's room. Akko had locked herself in, refusing to talk to them. They all tried their best, but they found no more success in calming her than they did earlier.

Once again, Diana found herself burying her emotions beneath her mask. She hadn't _ever_ yelled like that. She wasn't proud of yelling at her when she was so vulnerable, but all of that needed to be said and Diana was far past the end of her rope.

Right or wrong, she needed to act for the greater good, and Akko needed her here, whether she liked it or not.

Her knuckles rapped against the door. "Akko, _please_ let me in."

She heard the telltale sound of springs as Akko flopped down on the bed, and Diana half considered forgetting about giving her space and outright barging in.

"Look, don't you understand? We're _this_ close to curing you."

"I understand just fine." Akko's voice shot back from inside. "But it's a stupid plan."

"Well it's the only plan we _have_ , so why don't you just accept that and stop acting so stubborn?"

"J-just go away! Lemme think!"

Diana groaned. She wasn't sure if she was angrier at Akko's behavior or her own. But how was she supposed to keep calm? She had been patient, she had been understanding, she had rolled with every single blow since Akko decided not to tell them about the cut on her arm back when this entire _mess_ started, and _this_ happens just as it was almost over.

Amanda rudely shoved her aside. "Seriously, Akko? We literally _just_ bought those spellstones. Contz went outta her way to get all that stupid metal, and you're gonna freak out instead of actually _using_ it?"

"Amanda." Jasminka cut in. "That might not be what she needs to hear right now."

"No, what she _needs_ to hear right now is that she should get her-"

As she turned back to glare at Jasminka, she caught Hannah's eye. Her expression deliberated for a moment, before she let out a grumble.

"You know what, I'm gonna let Diana…yeah." Amanda said. "I'll be back here if you need me to say something or...whatever."

Amanda quietly retreated to the back of the group, next to Hannah, and crossed her arms bitterly.

"It'll be fine, Amanda." Hannah said gently.

"Yeah well it could _start_ being fine any second now." She said. "Why don't we just drag her in there and fix it? Sure, she'll be pissed, but at least the bug will be gone, right? Then she can be as mad at us as she wants."

"I think that would only make things worse…" Lotte said.

"And good luck dragging Akko anywhere." Sucy said. "You might as well-"

"This is no time for jokes." Diana snapped. "Unless you're going to help me convince her this is the right thing to do, you're not being helpful."

"D-Diana…" Hannah was taken aback by her forcefulness. "You should take a deep breath, okay?"

Diana winced at how utterly brazen she was acting, but any sort of 'breath' she could take would just be another angry huff. Everything about the situation filled her with shame and regret, and it made calming herself an impossible task.

Jasminka stepped towards her with a soft smile. "You know what she's going through better than all of us, Diana. She's just scared, that's all."

"Do you think I don't know that?"

Jasminka was unmoved. "You know, back when she came to sleep in our room, it made me a little sad that she didn't wanna tell us anything, but when I think that just being there to support her helped her enough, so she could trust you with the truth, I feel a little better."

Diana narrowed her eyes at her. Jasminka shrugged, as though she didn't understand what she was doing.

"I just think it helps to remember that yelling and arguing is pretty stressful for anyone, especially to someone who _really_ doesn't need more of that. But I know you know what's best, so we're just here in case you need us to help you at all."

Diana took a deep breath. "...Fine. What would you have me do, then?"

Barbara scratched her neck. "I mean, Croix and Ursula can probably handle the machine for now, right? So I guess it's fine if we just like sit here and talk for a while."

"Do we _really_ wanna make this take longer than it already is?" Amanda groaned.

"I-it's not like it would've been done by now even if she _did_ agree, right?" Barbara said. "So it's not like we're _losing_ anything."

"...We're not." Diana agreed. "But _I_ am making worse, aren't I? Thank you, both of you."

Barbara was unsure how to take that. "Sure! Yeah, it's no problem! I think."

Diana almost appreciated the irony, in that despite acting mad and childish, Barbara, Jasminka and the others were still willing to support her. Almost.

She knocked against the door, though this time, much more gently. "Akko...you know I'm not angry with _you_ , right?"

She received no response.

"Akko?"

"...I know." Akko's voice called back at last.

"And I know you don't want to hear it...but yes. We _did_ give up a lot to get here, and we did it because you're worth it. I don't like this plan either, but I can't stand to see you like this anymore."

Diana laid her head against the door.

"Please." She said. "Let me worry about the risk. Just this once, let...just...please."

The room was quiet, but eventually, she heard Akko creak off the bed, and step over to the door. There was a small thump, a sound which Diana suspected was Akko laying her own head against the door.

Her voice was barely a whisper. "...do you remember when I went to your house? When you said there wasn't any way you could go to school with me _and_ take care of your home? You said it was impossible."

"I remember." Diana admitted. "And I did used to believe like that, but you showed me how much I was missing. But that's what I'm saying. That's why I need to do this for you. Why I want to do this for you."

"No, the point is, there's _always_ a way. There's always something you can do. There _has_ to be."

"It's not that I don't believe in you. It's that I can't...I don't _want_ this to keep going. And I'm willing to do anything to fix it. I know it's scary, Akko. And...yes, I admit it. I _am_ afraid. But you never let your fear stop you. How could I not do the same?"

"...You're the one who always has all the responsibility on your shoulders. What would you _really_ do, if it was the other way around?"

Diana didn't need to go over the scenario. She already knew what it was like to helplessly watch the person she loved most face danger alone. "...Plant my feet." Diana told her. "And do what I knew was best."

There was a long pause between the two. Diana unable to say anything more, and Akko mulling over what she already said.

"Plant my…" Akko murmured. "Wait…"

"Let me in, please. Let's discuss this face to face."

"Okay, okay…" She heard Akko inhale. "Do you trust me, Diana?"

"Trust you?" Diana blinked, caught off-guard by the firmness of the voice. "After everything we've been through together, of _course_ I trust you. You mean the world to me. Akko, I _love_ you."

"...I love you too, Diana." Akko said. "And...I can't thank you enough, because you've done so much for me this whole time. That's why I can't let you do this. I'm not gonna be a burden that you have to fix."

"You're not-" Diana began, but all she was met with in return was the sound of Akko's footsteps walking away from the door.

She hung her head low. But she felt a gentle touch to her side, and behind her, she was reminded that the rest of them, all of hers and all of Akko's friends, remained steadfast at her back.

"Just give her a minute." Lotte reassured her. "I'm sure she'll come around. She was never one to give up."

"Yeah, it'll all be okay, Diana." Barbara agreed. "She'll figure it out, you'll see."

It was still far from ideal, but Diana supposed that with all the unpleasantness they had already powered through and all the unfairness stacked against them, they could afford to be patient a moment longer. She certainly didn't want to, but she could be patient, while Akko psyched herself up to do the impossible.

Then Akko's voice called out from within.

"Toru Rirurara!"

A distinctive emerald hue of a spell casting flashed through the crack under the door.

"Was that a spell?" Sucy asked.

"That was definitely a flash of magic." Diana said. "What did she just-?"

The realization did not set in, not at first, though they both knew the specific incantation by heart. It had perhaps been the last spell they might've expected to hear.

And time seemed to stop. Their eyes widened.

Toru Rirurara was a sleeping spell.

Lotte burst the door open. Any lingering thoughts they had about giving Akko her space vanished. The rest of them rushed into the room after her, and froze at the sight. Diana let out a sharp gasp, hands covering her mouth.

Akko was on the bed, unconscious. Unmoving. She had aimed the spell at herself. The wand had fallen from her limp hand and onto the floor. Diana cried out her name in alarm. There was no response.

And the rest of them were left gripped in fear and uncertainty. They neither knew nor could imagine what had incited Akko. Diana did not give it any thought. Over and over, she called out Akko's name and begged her to wake up.

The nightmares, the disconnect from reality, already made waking her difficult. And with the spell _forcing_ her to sleep, stirring her was impossible. Akko was already in too deep, already beyond help.

Diana's composure was lost. Her mind was at the whim of her imagination. Amanda fell to her knees beside her and screamed at the sleeping girl, demanding she snap out of it. Jasminka grabbed Sucy by the shoulder, because she was the nearest, and the two of them ran to find Ursula.

The rest of them shook her. They yelled her name. They tried everything they could think of to rip her from her nightmares, but it was all to no avail. They were already too late, as the choice had already been made.

None of them were able to wake Akko up now.

* * *

 _Next time, "To the Edge of Oblivion" Akko, willingly, has locked herself into her nightmares. What's her plan? Has she even really thought it through? Whatever it is, she's in the endgame now..._


	19. To the Edge Of Oblivion

It was difficult to say whether or not Akko actually knew what she was getting into. She was completely aware that she had just thrown herself headfirst into what could be an endless nightmare, one her body might not recover from.

And she hadn't thought the entire plan through. It was arguably more of an impulsive idea than an actual plan, but there wasn't enough time for a better idea. There was no doubt in her mind that she would do whatever it took to keep Diana safe.

Or at least, there shouldn't have been. She kept having to push down the intrusive thoughts, forcing herself to be single minded. She did not let herself consider the consequences, only where she had to reach before Diana and the others got the chance to use the device.

The beginning of the climatic nightmare wasn't so much unnotable as it was uneventful. Inasmuch as _anything_ in her life at Luna Nova was uneventful.

To that end, she found herself knee-deep in an impassable maze full of feral monsters. With her witch uniform on, her hat on her head, her long hair blowing behind her.

When she had first opened her eyes, she blindly charged forward with a newfound resolve. Now, more than ever, she _had_ to get her mind back. As if it could sense it, the parasite pulled no stops, and hit her with everything it had.

The nightmare threw into location after location, adventure after twisted, corrupted adventure. And she conquered every challenge she fell into, until she had ended up in the Labyrinth of Pollux, running through a directionless web of identical stone pathways.

She came to a fork in the road. To one direction was a pathway that went inside one of the ancient buildings, and to the other was a path that continued along outside. It was next to impossible to say which one was better.

' _What was I thinking, coming in here?_ ' Her thoughts wandered. ' _Even if this plan works...can I...really go through with this? Maybe I should've just let Diana-_ '

Something was oozing down the path behind her. A small red slime monster was trying to sneak up on her. Akko's wand glimmered, and with the blade extended from it, she hacked the creature in two, spraying its oozing remains on the stonework.

' _No! Can't think like that!_ ' She chastised herself. ' _Diana needs this, whether she knows it or not. I just need a find a way through this place. This has gotta work!_ '

The slime's remained evaporated into smoke, then to nothingness. She kept the blade spell active, just in case. Fittingly, it was the very same spell she had used in the real world to cut her hair.

She had a simple plan. She had to find a way through the labyrinth, and to get back to the magic tree she found in the last nightmare. That tree made up her magic, and if she could get to the tree, she could kill two birds with one stone.

Akko decided against going inside, and instead ran down the second path. ' _Don't let this be a dead-end…Please let me have picked right, just this once…_ '

She had run through the Labyrinth of Pollux twice, both on the first day of summer last year. The first time with Lotte and Sucy, they hadn't counted on how strong the inhabiting monsters were. They barely escaped with their lives. The second time was with Amanda and Diana, who insisted she needed their strength and skill to get by.

At the time, she mistakenly thought it had been meant as an insult. Now, she was alone in the depths of the maze. No Lotte or Sucy to warn her of upcoming creatures. No Diana or Amanda to guide her way. No Jasminka or Constanze to welcome them when they returned to the Horologium Room.

She had gotten a fair way down the second pathway when the foundation began to shake. The elevated path was crumbling behind her, and the shattered stones fell into an endless abyss of fog.

She picked up her pace until she made it to a section that was more stable. There would be no turning back now. She rounded the next corner, and as if to greet her, the parasite left a horde of monsters in her way.

Imps, flexing their claws and dripping saliva from their teeth. Reanimated skeletons, raising rusty, barbed weapons. Dragons, and cyclops and slimes, too primitive to reason with and too numerous for her to possibly defeat all on her own.

With reckless abandon, she raised her wand and leapt into the horde.

They weren't expecting _that_ , were they?

A few of the monsters fell back at the sudden attack. A few of the ones that didn't found themselves hacked in two. A nearby imp decided to be brave and rush her with its club. She decided to kick it in the face.

"C'mon then, you stupid bug!" She shouted towards the heavens. "I'm done with this!"

The skeleton raised its sword. Akko raised her wand. A bolt of magic cut through the skeleton's breastplate, sending its bones scattering.

"I already got past all the monsters you tried to get me with before!" She yelled. She hit anything that moved to close to her with a flurry of quick, unfocused spells. "All the stupid traps, all the memories you corrupted-!"

Another slime exploded as a bolt of magic stabbed through its mass. But as soon as the creature fell, the ground rumbled under a massive hooved footstep.

The giant minotaur roared at her, but Akko refused to be deterred. "I beat all of them! You can't stop me! This is _my_ mind!"

The minotaur reached down to grab her. But she was quicker than its lumbering movements. She stepped to the side. She drew the blade from her wand and slashed it across the massive hand.

"And you-!"

She slashed the giant creature's leg right above its hoof. The minotaur howled and fell to its knee.

"Can't-!"

She reared back and charged the strongest combat spell she could remember. Magic pooled at the tip of her wand. She thrust her arm forward and unleashed it.

" _Have_ it!"

The arrow of energy struck through the monster's vulnerable head. As the giant's body crumbled, Akko huffed for breath. Even in a dream, that had taken quite a bit out of her.

She couldn't deny she was proud of herself. She looked at her accomplishments laying on the stones around her. She had slain six powerful monsters, all by herself.

Which left a mere thirty or so more that she had _not_ slain.

"...Oh." She realized. "That kinda...kills the mood…"

The remaining horde took a step closer. She backed away, only stopping when the heel of her boot scraped against the crumbling edge of the path.

Even if she could defeat all these monsters, which was hardly likely in the first place, it just wasted time. Time the parasite could use against, time Diana could use in the real world to use the device and risk everything.

She couldn't let that happen. Getting to the tree was all that mattered. She glanced over her shoulder into the seemingly endless abyss beneath Pollux's twisted structures, and back at the monsters closing in on her.

So she closed her eyes and threw herself off the ledge. She was in a stalemate with this parasite, so at this point, she figured all that was left was to go all out.

As she looked below her, and saw nothing but fog, her stomach lurched. An instinctive panic claimed her, and she desperately wished for something to save her.

But she crushed the thoughts down as best she could. She couldn't be afraid. If she let herself be overtaken by fear, then the nightmare beat her.

She struggled to keep her eyes open against the wind rippling against her face. She could no longer actually _see_ the ground as it rushed up to meet her. But she steeled herself, and reminded herself that she was _not_ scared. She was in control.

Tired, angry, determined, and exhausted, she let herself fall into an eternal oblivion.

* * *

Everything went black.

She did not splatter on the ground like hear fear said she should have. And she was no longer in the Labyrinth either. When she opened her eyes, she was in the mirror lockup, in the basement of Luna Nova.

She looked over, to where the Remembrance Mirror stood in the real world. Here, in the depths of her mind, was instead planted a massive tree, growing through the concrete. The parasite still clung to its base, beneath the withered branches that were sickened by Dream Fuel Spirit, and the glowing branches that were blessed by Woodward and Beatrix.

' _This is it._ ' She thought. ' _I made it._ '

Though there was no real satisfaction in it.

Her muscles whined, begging her to take a moment, to catch her breath. She did not. She pushed herself up. She glided across the floor, paying no mind as she passed reflection after reflection.

She stood before the vulnerable base of the trunk, and she tightened her grip around her wand. As the tree swayed in an undetectable breeze, a surge of mana traveled down the length of her blade. It was extended longer, like a sword. Or perhaps, more like an axe.

She already knew that no spell she could conjure would cut the parasite off the tree. She already knew nothing she could conjure in her mind could beat it at its own game. It was too ingrained in her magic. And she couldn't, could _never_ , let Diana step in for her.

Which left her with one option.

She was going to cut the tree down.

The parasite was thriving off of her magic, so therefore the only way to stop it without having to put someone else at risk was to cut out her magic entirely.

It would be a simple motion, but she stood frozen before the base of the tree. She forced herself to raise her arm, to press the blade to the bark. But she couldn't move forward anymore. Her arm was shaking.

She looked up to the parasite, leeching away. Likely about to twist her memories into some fresh horror. She hated it. She wanted it dead, gone. But still, she stood frozen.

Despite the emotion on her face, her voice itself was almost reverent. "...You don't control me. You can't do anything to me you haven't already done."

Sweat beaded on her forehead. She had to cut. It would take less than a second.

"But I can't do anything to stop you on my own either. But if I _don't_ do it on my own, a-and if I let them do it _for_ me, I...I'll never be able to forgive myself. And I can't _do_ that. I won't."

The parasite pulsated, feasting on her stress. The tree seemed to ooze underneath its grip, slowly seeping down into the bark. She brought her other hand to her wand, readied her grip, and reared back for the cut.

"I won't."

With one, purposeful swipe of her arm, the blade would pass through the trunk. That was all she had to do. The parasite leeching off of her would have nothing to sustain itself. The nightmares would all finally end. No more magic, no more nightmares.

She cuts the tree down, and she frees herself from this. She wakes up, and she spares Diana and everyone else from having to rescue her and take care of her. She is finally allowed to move on, to genuinely _sleep_ again. She swipes the blade through, cuts down the tree, and she gets her life back, and she rests knowing everyone is safe.

But she couldn't do it.

She couldn't bring herself to do it.

She stood frozen, the tip of her blade still pressed against the tree. She knew it was selfish to hesitate. And she knew she couldn't _ever_ place her own dreams and desires above the reality that was Diana's life already in danger.

She _had_ to cut it down. Why was she hesitating? She _had_ to do this.

Her body trembled. She didn't want this, but what choice did she have? The simple act of standing upright hurt. If she _didn't_ give everything up, how could she look Diana in the eyes again? The blade in her hand might've weighed a hundred tons.

If she just swiped, Diana would be safe. Akko herself would be safe. And the nightmares would all be over.

As would her magic. Her dreams. Everything she had ever worked for, ever wanted…

"I…" Akko choked out. "I...I w-won't…!"

She bit back tears. She _loved_ magic. But she had told Diana that nothing scared her more than the thought of losing her. Had she been lying? Caught up in the moment?

Because her heart still told her it was true. How much had she been through with Diana? How much had Diana done for her? They had spent so many hours together since that fateful night at the Cavendish Manor. She had changed so much since the day they had met, and Akko had changed too.

She may not have always appreciated what Diana told her, but her once rival always made her strive to be greater, and her later girlfriend always made her _want_ to be better. If it hadn't been for her, would she _ever_ have bested the Noir Missile? Would she even have made it _that_ far?

If she cut the tree, lost her magic, she would have to leave Luna Nova. She might never see Diana again anyway. And what would Diana say to that? Ursula, and Croix? Lotte, Sucy, Amanda, Jasminka, Constanze, Hannah and Barbara? Would they think she was giving up on them? Would they understand?

The blade was dissipating. Her magic was losing focus. She shook the thoughts from her head, and the dulled edge sharpened itself once more.

She was hesitating. She _had_ to do this. If she cut the tree down, she lost everything. But if she backed away, she lost everything. So she stood trembling in the dark, desperately wishing for someone to tell her what to do.

And if she couldn't get out of this nightmare soon, there was no telling what would happen in the real world.

* * *

In the real world…Diana Cavendish had been inconsolable since they had discovered Akko in the Red Team's dorm.

That happened ten hours ago. And in those ten agonizingly long hours, all through the night and into the morning, there hadn't even been a minute for any of them to process where everything went wrong.

Everything they left in them had went into finishing the Mana Tapper. They all worked fast and recklessly, pulling out every trick they had to shave off precious seconds to get the device working to save the girl sleeping on the slab in the center of the room.

Diana avoided looking. If she stopped to think about it, she wasn't sure she'd ever regain her composure again. So she did everything to avoid losing any more of it, to keep from speculating what she should've done differently or what could possibly be happening.

She did everything Croix and Ursula requested without question or reflection. Like a ship, carefully toeing the edge of an inescapable whirlpool.

Ursula fought off her own anxiety by trying to explain to Diana what Croix had already explained to her about sharing her magic. "You just need to be calm when you put your magic through the machine. Don't overdo it, don't let your emotions get the better of you."

Diana had practice with that, hadn't she? Not letting her emotions get to her. She was supposed to be good at that.

"Just focus your magic, and let yourself go." Ursula continued. "Then...then _your_ magic is going to flow through her, and it'll break the parasite's hold. But none of that can happen if you can't focus or you lose yourself."

"I understand."

Ursula nodded curtly, and after a moment, pulled the student into a helpless embrace. Diana did not let herself hug back, and she did not think Ursula expected her to.

Constanze and Croix barely said a word between them that was not related to finishing the machine. "Tighten that", Croix said, "Wire that there", "Hold it steady", "Careful now." They hadn't left the device's side since.

Croix shot a breath of hot air up towards her bangs. Her fingers danced across the keyboard. They had been checking everything as they went. "O-okay...diagnostics look good. I think everything's green? Constanze, eyeball it."

The Stanbot electronically scanned the open hatch, ensuring every circuit board, every wire, every nail and screw was _exactly_ where it was meant to be. "All systems appear to be in place!" It said.

"Is it ready?" Diana asked.

Croix weighed her answer. "...As it's ever gonna be."

"Then let's do it."

Croix dragged several thick cables from the machine over to the grim, metal slab where Akko had been carefully laid down. She signaled Ursula to come over and help her hook them up, entrusting Constanze to make the final preparations to her design.

The cables were attached to the table, near Akko's head. As soon as they were in place, Ursula cast a quick spell and created a magic barrier around the slab, allowing only the cables themselves to go through the impenetrable seal. The orichalcum slab would conduct all the magic from the device, and the barrier would seal it in with Akko, dousing her with it, like the inside an x-ray machine.

The design hadn't counted on Akko already being unconscious. They had no idea if it would even _work_ in this state. But if they didn't do _something_ soon...

Diana hated having to leave so much of this up to chance, but time was not on their side, and they could only hope fate would be kind. She took her wand in hand, and took her place next to the funnel end of the machine.

"Y-yo, Diana..." Amanda said from the other side of the room. "You got this, alright? No worries."

Hannah nodded. "You can do this. If anyone can, it's you."

Diana closed her eyes, clasping her wand in front of her like a solemn prayer. Just for a moment, she allowed her emotions to wash over her. All the love, the frustration, the relief and joy, the grief and the anger she had felt towards Akko ever since she had parted with her on the night of the detention.

And she let go. Her emotions flowed into her magic, and her magic flowed through her being into her wand. The strength of her spell illuminated the entire room in an emerald glow. She believed, with all her heart, that this would work.

She was Diana Cavendish. And as Akko was bathed in her magic, Diana swore to the heavens above that for her, she would _make_ this work.

* * *

Akko still stood frozen. Tears pooling in her eyes that refused to fall, and a weapon in her hand that refused to move.

And suddenly, in the still air of the basement, a phantom breeze had started to gently blow over her. She lowered her wand, and furrowed her brow. A chill ran down her spine, but it was not one of fear.

Rather it was...comforting. The tingling washing over her reminded her the way skin sometimes shuddered after a hug. There was something cozy in the sensation. Something safe, yet almost longing.

She turned away from the tree, and realized the door at the other side of the room was open. It had always been locked, as far as she could remember. But in the doorway itself, was a floating ball of golden light.

It glimmered against the darkness, gently trailing its way into the room. She watched it approach, captivated. She had never seen anything like it.

The golden light began to change shape. The ball turned, and suddenly, it began to look more like the shape of slender hand. From there, the light spread upwards into an arm, and outwards until it took the silhouette of a person.

The silhouette of light was still coming into focus, but the figure it formed was feminine, and beautiful. As difficult as it was to see any depth in the bright light, she could see long hair running down the back of the silhouette's shapely figure, slowly coming into focus.

The golden silhouette gently glided across the floor towards the tree, one small footstep after another. She couldn't perceive anything more than an outline, but still, Akko couldn't take her eyes off it. Whatever this light was, its shape was familiar. It reminded her of...

Her eyes widened in horror. She knew what this light was.

It reminded her of Diana.

Akko jumped in between the silhouette and the tree it was approaching. "No!" She cried. "I won't let you!"

The tree behind her suddenly let out its own pulse of sickly green light. The silhouette shuddered as it impacted it. Though it slowed, it continued to walk forward.

Akko groaned in frustration. She waited too long, and now Diana had used the machine. If she hadn't froze up...if she hadn't hesitated…

There was no time to think on that now. If she let Diana's magic in, she would never forgive herself.

She focused everything she had on not letting that happen. "I can do this myself! You need to get out!"

The waves of light rippling off the tree slammed into the silhouette one after another, pushing it back, away. But the silhouette refused to back down. It began to shine brighter, resisting all of her efforts.

Diana's magic was _winning_.

She couldn't let it

The waves rippling from the tree came faster and faster. The silhouette grew brighter and brighter. The waves shattered as they hit the silhouette. The silhouette was forced back a step with every wave.

"I have to do this!" She screamed. "I have to!"

Another wave slammed into the silhouette and burst as it hit the golden light. The room was getting too bright. Akko covered her eyes. She could barely see.

She pushed back. She knew Diana's magic was pushing back even harder. She could see nothing but white. She struggled. She kept going. She blindly fought. Everything grew brighter, brighter.

...And what happened next, was difficult for her to say.

Never in the history of magic or science had this happened before. Though she wasn't sure _what_ , all Akko could be certain of was that something in that room, or perhaps everything in that room, had just shattered.

* * *

And suddenly the wand was flung from Diana's hand, and she cried out in pain.

" _Aaugh!_ "

She fell to her knees, cradling her head in her hands. The pain only lasted for a fraction of a second, yet it felt like an eternity. She felt like her head had just split. She didn't even notice the others running to her side.

"P-professor!?" Lotte cried. "What just-?"

Croix's eyes raced across the laptop screen. "I don't know! Everything's supposed to be working! Diana, what's wrong?"

As Diana tried to catch her breath, she clutched at her heart. The inside of her chest felt cold. She felt empty in a way she never had before. And as she laid a finger on her wand, she knew an instant what had happened.

She couldn't feel her magic in her anymore. The emptiness in the pit of her stomach was like someone had reached in and ripped her insides out. She groped at her lower torso, as if she expected there to be an actual hole.

Her magic was…

She refused to think of it now. She had to only think of the consequences, what this _meant_. There would be...time. Later.

With a groan, she pushed herself to her feet. Her legs quivered as she walked over to the slab in the center. Ursula, understanding immediately, dropped the barrier. Diana's legs gave out from under her barely a moment later.

She caught herself on the edge of the table, and she struggled to keep herself upright. She felt sick. But for one last time, she pushed her own needs aside. If her magic was gone, then surely it must have worked.

She couldn't have given this up for it to fail.

Akko had not moved in any way.

Diana weakly laid a hand on her shoulder, and tried to shake her. "Akko...wake up..." She said. "Akko."

The girl did not stir. She was still, and motionless.

The room fell deathly silent. Croix, slowly and unsteadily, looked up from the laptop. "Her...brain waves are…"

But Diana shut her out. She knew it wasn't true. It couldn't be. She continued to shake Akko's shoulder. "Akko...we did it. It's over. It's...i-it's over."

There was no response. Not a single sign that anything had changed. That they hadn't failed.

"Akko, please...don't you understand?" She whispered. Her voice broke. "Y-you...you're safe now..."

With a shuddering breath, Diana laid her head down on Akko's stomach, and buried her face as the first of her sobs escaped her.

"...I saved you…"

* * *

She felt like she was floating in a void. Everything was white. Her body felt numb, motionless. Her eyes were adjusting. And as sensation returned, a singular thought filled her.

' _...Did I just die?_ '

Akko blinked rapidly.

' _I don't...think I died? If I did, I couldn't be thinking, right? If I was dead, I'd be...dead._ '

Her hand went to the back of her head, through long tresses of hair. She was fairly certain she was alive. And if nothing else, she _felt_ alive.

' _I can work with that, I guess._ '

The bright spots gradually began to clear from her vision. She was not floating in a void. She was face down on the concrete in the basement lockup. And as the world came into focus, she realized, she was surrounded by mirrors.

Just over two dozen mirrors had been arranged around her in a circle. No matter which direction she looked, she saw only her reflection.

Except, for one.

Within one mirror stood Diana Cavendish, an aloof expression on her face. She was standing in Blytonbury, in the middle of the night, and in the snow. It was the same place where she had found Akko on that fateful night.

And the reflection spoke to her.

"Akko." Diana's voice gave no hint of emotion. "I suppose I should've expected to see this from you."

The girl sitting on the ground could find no words. The reflection gave no hint of the warmth Diana had shown her on the worst night of her life. Diana just folded her arms behind her back.

"It's quite typical, you know." Diana said. "You always were so brave and full of bluster when things got easy, but when things don't go your way, you just fold instantly."

"…Diana…?"

"Not that anyone could blame you for _finally_ giving up. After all, my family's bloodline is prestigious, and noble. Of course a trivial thing like Dream Fuel Spirit would mean nothing to _me._ But I suppose for a…. _ahem_ , first generation witch like you, you don't quite have the magic to spare, do you?"

Akko pinched her eyes closed and sniffed. She supposed it was inevitable the parasite would bring this memory against her. It didn't make it hurt less.

"...what do you want?"

"Take some solace, Akko. You may not be meant to be a witch, but you somehow managed to make it this far regardless. Pass on what lessons you remember, and perhaps your great grandchildren will be able to succeed where you failed."

"Stop…"

"Perhaps though, had you accepted the facts sooner, you could have spared everyone some trouble."

Akko bolted to her feet. "Knock it _off!_ " She yelled. "You're not _real!_ A-and...I... _am_ a witch! I am!"

"Are you?" Diana arched a brow. "Would a witch truly give up her magic? Like you were about to? Hm?"

"I...i-it was the only way! I couldn't let Diana-!"

"Do exactly what you were about to do? Don't you find that a trifle hypocritical of you? You couldn't stand to let her have the glory, yet you weren't even strong enough to do it yourself."

Akko flushed hotly. "W-what am I _supposed_ to do?! I-if I could do magic right, I wouldn't _be_ here! Every time I turn around it's some _new_ horrible thing, and I'm _tired_ of it!"

Diana's face didn't even twitch at her outburst. "Perhaps you should've taken all your failures as a sign."

Akko moaned, holding her head in her hands. "Why am I even talking to you? You're just gonna leave and make me feel like it's _my_ fault."

She wanted this to be over. She didn't want to keep going into some horrible new aspect of this. She didn't want to keep running like a frightened child in this dream world. She just wanted to get out.

She looked past the sneering reflection of 'Diana' in Blytonbury, and suddenly spied the tree behind her. The mirror was between it and Akko, but it was still there. And from the corner of her eye, she spotted yet another glow behind her. On the opposite side of the reflection of 'Diana', Akko pushed two mirrors aside from their place in the circle.

Standing behind them in the dark, was the silhouette of golden light. Diana's magic. Its luster had faded somewhat, cut off from any support. But it was persisting, however temporarily.

Akko rubbed the tears from her eyes. "...I'm so sick of this…"

'Diana' crossed her arms. "Perhaps if you truly feel so strongly that there's nothing more for you here, Akko, then why don't you go ahead? _Try_ to cut down the tree."

Her mirror shifted to the side, giving her a clear pathway to the tree. Her wand still sat discarded at its base. It was probably a trick, but then, she had bested all the parasite's tricks so far anyway. If she was quick enough, she could chop it down.

The silhouette on the other side said nothing. Akko wasn't sure it could. If it was still connected to Diana at all, it was by a thread. But it held out its hand in offering. If she took it, she'd be putting Diana at risk again. If she pushed the magic from her mind entirely, she could get it back to Diana safely.

And as Akko tried to think over her options, her own reflections in the other mirrors began to change. In the ones next to 'Diana', she saw herself opening the Triskellion, learning the truth about Chariot, stopping the Noir Rod. And on the silhouette's side, she saw herself obtaining the Shiny Rod, saving the Pappiliodya, riding the Shooting Star, alongside everything else in between them.

Her whole life at Luna Nova, spread out before her. Her accomplishments, and her failures. Uncorrupted, yet unidealized.

' _I messed up a lot...maybe I really could've saved a lot of trouble if I didn't keep trying everything without even knowing what I'm doing_ …'

'Diana' shook her head. "Here you are, refusing to act yet again. You really haven't learned a thing, have you?"

If Akko walked that direction, she'd at least have the certainty she had been longing for, night after night. She'd have complete certainty the nightmares would end, and Diana would get her magic back. And that her own magic would be gone.

And to the silhouette's side, she'd have a chance to be greater, but to lose everything anyway. Risk and reward. A roulette wheel where the best payout left everyone happy, but the worst would be more than she could bear.

Akko made her choice. Though she knew she was going to regret it.

She took the silhouette's hand.

And suddenly she found herself brimming with a magic that wasn't her own. She almost stumbled backwards. She felt good. More than herself. She never had this much power inside her in her life.

'Diana' scoffed in the mirror. "You just can't stop making life worse for everyone. Who do you think you are?"

"I'm...gonna have to get back to you on that one."

The silhouette's golden light began to fill the room. Again, Akko had to shield her eyes. She wasn't sure what possessed her to do it, but she focused the newfound magic flowing through her, and spoke.

"Diana…?"

* * *

Diana's head snapped up.

"Akko?"

* * *

 _A.N. 'Next Time, "The Last Shot of the Little Witch" The long overdue finale of the story! There'll be a little time for explanations as to what just happened, because after all, with only two chapters left, this is the BIG finish..._


	20. The Last Shot of the Little Witch

Akko genuinely didn't honestly expect to hear anything back. But as she touched hands with the silhouette, she found herself filled by a foreign power that was all too familiar to her. She knew the sensation of this magic, the feeling of it, even if she had never felt it in this way before.

Maybe she was spurred on by the familiarity, mingling in with all her other senses. So she reached out, not expecting it to be heard.

"Diana…?"

The response was almost immediate.

"Akko?"

Her lips parted in a silent gasp. That response had not come from a dream or a memory, or a figment of imagination. Diana had heard her. Even through the seemingly impenetrable veil of the nightmare, Diana, had heard her.

And her mind went wild with the implications. If Diana could hear her, _speak_ with her despite Akko being unconscious and Diana being in the real world, then she must still have some connection to her magic.

It wasn't completely gone yet. She wasn't too late.

Diana's voice seemed to be coming from out the silhouette, though the manifestation of her magic did not move in time with her voice.

"W-was that you?" Her voice sounded weary and anguished, and Akko knew she was to blame for that, but her heart swelled nonetheless just knowing on some level, she was here. "Akko, was that you? Please, speak to me! It...sounds like you're speaking inside of my…?"

"Diana, it's really me!" Akko called out. "Can you hear me?"

Diana was enthralled. Breathless, but enthralled. "I…yes, I can hear you, but…where _are_ you? You're still asleep! H-how can you be-?"

"I'm not sure! I guess I'm speaking to you from inside the nightmare! Your magic is in here! I dunno how this is working, but I touched it and-!"

"We'll figure it out later." Diana hurriedly cut her off. "Just answer me this first. Are you okay? Are you hurt at all?"

"I'm fine! I'm still stuck in this nightmare world, but aside from that, I'm okay!"

"Good…" Diana let out a long sigh of relief. "Then what were you _thinking?!_ "

Akko winced as the silhouette unleashed a flash of heat. It wasn't enough to hurt, but Diana was using whatever connection she had to make it abundantly clear she was beyond angry at this point.

"O-okay, I admit…" Akko flushed, "I could've planned this better, but-"

"You think? How could you do that to us? You-! You let us find you face down on the bed, Akko! Do you have any idea how that _looked?_ I thought you were-!

"What was I _supposed_ to do? I already _told_ you I felt bad that I couldn't even do anything to help when you guys were already fixing the problem _for_ me, and then you were gonna ruin your life on top of that! And I'm just supposed to _let_ you?"

"No, _clearly_ the right answer is to lock yourself in an eternal nightmare! This is _much_ more helpful!"

"Look, can we _not_ do this right now? I didn't _want_ you to do this for me, but I don't think I have another choice, and I'm not leaving until this leech is outta my head!"

Diana was silent for a moment. "…You might be right on that." She said. "I…I don't think we _can_ wake you up after this, Akko. We've been at it for hours, and unless you can get rid of that parasite, you might…not…"

The way she trailed off was far from encouraging.

Akko sighed. "I didn't wanna admit it, Diana...but I can't do this without you. I need your help."

"Then _let_ me help." Diana said curtly. "The plan was to use my magic to strengthen Beatrix's blessing upon you. But my magic's been...compromised. Outside of this connection we have now, I can't feel it."

"I'm sorry..."

"Save it for later. With my magic as it is, I can't direct it by myself. We'll need to work together."

"Got it. Let me know what I can do to help you."

"And once you get out, we _will_ be talking about this again."

Akko winced.

She pushed her guilt and anxiety to the side as best she could, resolving to deal with them later. Her only concern needed to be how to stop the parasite from leeching off the tree. The quicker she could do that, the quicker she could fix the rest.

She approached the tree. "So how do we do this? If...your magic isn't…"

"Whatever you're using to speak to me, keep doing it." Diana said. "I can still feel my magic through it, so I should be able to direct it through that connection. This...isn't an exact science, but...focus your thoughts on Beatrix's blessing. Croix's device should still be able to do the rest."

She pressed her hand to the bark, and sunk deeper into the feeling of the familiar, foreign power brimming through her being. The connection reminded her a little of spirit communication magic, in some small way. Though it was difficult to say which one of their consciousnesses would be the spirit at this case.

After a moment, Diana was able to access enough of her magic from the real world to direct it. And suddenly, the golden silhouette, who had been still this whole time, stepped forward, and pressed its own hand to the bark on the exact opposite side of the tree.

Akko didn't actually notice Beatrix's branch until they started trying to supercharge it. It was easily dwarfed by Woodward's mark in terms of size, but despite that, they exuded the same luster.

Unlike Woodward's mark, the hue of Beatrix's was the exact same shade as Diana's magic. And the bond between ancestor and descendant took hold. The golden hue spread down the tree from Beatrix's branch, and outward from the silhouette hand.

The two patches of brilliant color inched across the trunk to join together. The parasite leeching off the tree pulsated as the hue passed underneath its airtight grip on the tree. Without warning, the leech let out a horrific, high-pitched, shriek.

The holy magic of the Cavendish family was burning it.

"It's working…!" Akko's eyes widened. "Diana, I think it's…!"

Just as Croix predicted, Beatrix's blessing was designed as a protection against curses, and any magic one of the Nine Olde Witches cast was not to be trifled with. The combined strength of it, Diana's magic, and Akko's willpower was forcing the parasite to let go.

But just as Croix also predicted, the parasite had its _own_ reserve of magic, however limited. A sharp jolt coursed through Akko's hand, like she had been electrocuted.

A groan escaped the silhouette. "Ngh...Akko, I can't do this alone! Help me!"

If Akko had proved anything, it was that she could work through whatever the bug tried to throw at her. But this was different. There was more at stake here. Diana's magic was in here too, and if Akko pushed too far, made Diana exert it too much…

"A-Akko! Focus!"

The parasite was _almost_ off. It couldn't hold onto the tree without the magic burning right through it.

But Akko's thoughts were torn between it, and Diana's safety, and how close she was to getting out of her at last.

A swift burst of wind slammed into Akko's torso, knocking her from her feet.

She quickly pushed herself up to see what had gone wrong. The tree was still entirely golden, burning hotly with holy magic. And the trunk of the tree was bare. No leech in sight.

Her heart soared.

And then then she looked up.

The back of the parasite's hard shell had split open, revealing a large span of jagged wings. The fact that it was _flying_ was worrying. The fact that it was flying towards _her_ right after she had seared it right off its perch even more worrying.

She crawled backwards, and the bug furiously flapped its newly hatched wings, slowly closing the gap.

' _But…if it's not connected to my magic anymore, then...it can't do anything…_ '

Yet she was still in the lockup. Still in the nightmare. The parasite's connection had been severed, but something was still keeping her unconscious.

' _...Right?_ '

All the other mirrors in the lockup, still playing her memories across their sheer surface, began to crack. And as though some sort of burst had occurred just beneath the surface, the glass exploded from each frame of the mirrors, one by one.

She ducked her head as glass rained through the air. Diana gasped as she cried out in surprise. "Akko! What's happening? What's going on?"

The shards of glass swirled around the room in a storm. The silhouette instinctively moved to protect Akko, throwing its body atop of hers.

The silhouette's body disappeared as Diana's magic was absorbed into her. The deadly shards racing through the air then swerved to avoid hitting her. But the parasite still hovered at the center of the storm, glaring down at her with an eyeless face.

It reared backwards to charge. Akko raised her arms, and braced for it to slam into her.

* * *

But the impact never came. Akko lowered her arms, now clad in an orange jacket, and began to suspect something worse was going to come in its place.

She was no longer in the lockup. No, but she was more than acquainted with the memory she had found herself in a third time.

She was back in the forest of Arcturus. This is where it had all begun, both her journey to become a witch, and then her long struggle with these nightmares. And now, it was starting over.

The parasite weaved through the air, unimpeded by the twisted, gnarled branches. She wasn't sure how it could still have enough control over her subconscious mind to manipulate her into these different places.

"Akko! Are you still there?"

Akko jumped. Diana's voice seemed to sound from the inside of her head. It was mildly disorientating. "Yeah, I think so! But now I'm stuck _here_ instead of the lockup! What do I do?"

"I can't see what you're seeing." Diana said. "You just went silent for a moment. Croix said your brainwaves are…! Y-you _need_ to hurry. You have to find a way to exorcise this creature and wake up now!"

"Not helping…" Akko grumbled.

She darted forward. She only managed to get a few steps forward before something caught her ankle. She stumbled, feeling something prick into the flesh of her calves.

Just like in the last nightmare, thick, thorny vines had sprouted from the ground and wrapped themselves around her legs. Now, she had the perpetrator hovering in-sight, but completely out of reach.

"Of course it can fly now…" Akko muttered. "Everything can fly but _me!_ "

She didn't get even a moment to _try_ ripping the brambles off her legs before the ground rumbled. The massive cockatrice of the forest smashed through the treeline. Its beak opened in a deep bellow.

This was almost exactly where the first nightmare left off. Her legs rooted to the spot, and the cockatrice making its slow, inevitable approach.

' _But it can't actually do anything to me! It's never been able to…!_ '

The cockatrice took a deep step forward, the ground rumbling underneath its girth. The other times the nightmare tried to seriously harm her, which it could not do without the parasite losing its host, she had been sent to the lockup instead.

Except now, the lockup had been trashed. The parasite's connection with its host had been severed. And if Croix was right, that her body was deteriorating in the real world...

The cockatrice took another step forward. Its snake head twisted around, and hissed at her.

Maybe the parasite was reacting like a wild animal in its final moments, aiming to lap up whatever stress it could create in the time it had left. Or maybe, if there was some undetectable hint of sentience, it had decided that if _it_ couldn't have the mind, then _no one_ could.

There was no safety net this time.

This was all or nothing. If she couldn't find a way out of this, she wasn't _ever_ going to wake up. And she'd be taking Diana's magic with her to boot.

' _I can't let that happen. I_ won't _!_ '

She had to stop the parasite now. But even if she _could_ get untangled from the vines before the cockatrice was on top of her, if she moved, it'd surely charge her. And she still had no way to attack the parasite. It was too high, and this memory was from before she went to school, she didn't even own a wand yet, much less have one on her.

"I need a plan…I need a plan really fast!"

"Stay calm, Akko." Diana said. "I _know_ you can find a solution. Don't forget, you're a witch, you're never completely helpless."

"You're the one who has the stronger magic!"

"And I've told you once, your magic is stronger than anyone's. I still believe that."

The parasite watched as the cockatrice closed in on her. She couldn't move. She was running out of time. Her magic was too weak. Diana's magic was more refined, but with what the Noir Funnel did to her, she couldn't even use it.

Neither of their magic was enough to succeed alone.

So Akko went with the first desperate plan that came to her mind, and conducted _both_.

She tapped into Diana's magic and mixed it in with her own. She let their combined power direct her body. She stretched out her arm, pointing it at the cockatrice. And she pulled her other arm back, pressing her hand to her cheek.

In an explosion of fire and lightning, an enormous bow and arrow forged itself within her grasp.

The vines entangling her leg were obliterated. The trees swayed at the burst of power.

The cockatrice cried out. The energy obscuring the weapon in Akko's hand hurt its eyes. Annoyed, it roared, and charged right under the parasite at the lone girl.

But she had already let go of the arrow's tail. The magic arrow left a trail of fire in the very air itself as the bow launched it forward, and stabbed right in between the cockatrice's eyes.

The force of the impact didn't just stop the cockatrice's approach. It sent the creature _flying_.

The parasite seemed shocked she could do that.

As the cockatrice's body began to fall, Akko felt a familiar jolt in her stomach, the kind she had been feeling whenever she was thrown from one memory to the next.

But something had changed. The parasite reacted wildly. The world itself faded to black around her. And suddenly, the ground simply stopped existing beneath her. Her stomach lurched as she began to fall.

By the time the cockatrice's beak might've hit the ground, with the arrow still shining like a beacon in its forehead, the entire memory had disappeared into darkness.

* * *

Akko landed hard on the floor of _The Last Wednesday Society_. She couldn't say what just happened, but her eyes snapped up to get her grips. She had been warped to the inside of the café, and all she could see out the window was a snowy night sky.

But the cockatrice was gone, and the parasite was nowhere in sight, which gave her an uneasy moment to catch her breath.

This must be the memory of when Diana brought her here after Chariot's unveiling. But there was no one in sight, not the shopowner or Diana herself. When Akko had dreamt yesterday, of Croix and the Spider on the roof, she hoped she had seen the last of this awful night

Diana herself let out a peculiar groan. Having her magic being used without her doing so frazzled her. " _Ah_ , that felt…What did you just do?"

"Shot a cockatrice with a magic bow."

"A _cockatrice?!_ What…?"

The energy obscuring the weapon now in Akko's hand calmed enough for her to see what she was holding.

The bow took the shape of the Shiny Rod's form, but it had a style all of its own. Its material was a faded purple color that smelled earthy, like wood. Warmly colored vines wrapped around the upper and lower limbs, and the seven gemstones of the Shiny Rod were replaced with small tufts of flowers, like those that sprouted when Akko awoke the final Word.

On the other hand, the ends of the string grooves were pointed, styled like a unicorn's horn. And a golden snake charm extended out from the grip, coiled around her forearm, all but ensuring she couldn't drop it. It reminded her of the Familiars Daryl used.

And it had knocked over a cockatrice like it was nothing. That was not a small feat.

"I don't really know what to tell you, Diana." Akko admitted. "But I think I managed to freak out the parasite with…whatever this bow thing is. And now I got thrown into a different memory."

"…I see." Diana said. "I can't say I _completely_ understand what's going on, but if that creature is afraid of that bow, then use it."

Akko still wasn't sure. "…Listen, I didn't mean to use your magic like that. I'm-"

"Don't." Diana said. "You need to focus on getting out of there. And whatever you have to do to accomplish that, do it. I can handle a momentary discomfort."

Akko glanced down at the bow. "I...I shouldn't. I can't. You still have _some_ connection to your magic. If...if I accidentally use too much, or use it wrong, you might…"

"Would you stop worrying so much about protecting me? You have enough to worry about without-"

"I can't just ignore it!" Akko snapped. "I _won't_ pretend like I don't care!"

"Your _life_ is at _stake!_ "

"And I'm not gonna put _yours_ there too!"

She tried to tear the bow off. But the snake circlet coiling from the grip up her forearm kept it firmly secured. She couldn't get rid of it. But she knew she couldn't go through with this. How could she stand to do risk the safety of the person she loved the most any more than she already has?

"Akko," Diana told her, "My magic may be strong, but I can't do this alone. Neither can you."

Out of the window, she saw a flicker of light in the night sky. The parasite flew in front of the illuminated window, and the dark shadow it cast over the white snowy street was all encompassing.

This bow, the combination of Diana and Akko's magic, could stop the parasite once and for all. And it was right outside the door.

"Be honest, Diana. And I mean it, don't pull any punches here. What would've you done if you lost your magic, forever?"

Diana's silence was telling. Akko waited for a response regardless.

"…I…I don't know."

"You would've felt horrible. You were _always_ gonna do these amazing things and be a super amazing witch. And I know you made all those promises to your family, and I would've made you lose all of that. I don't think I can _handle_ that on my conscience."

She knew Diana, knew her better than anyone else. And she knew Diana couldn't deny that giving up all the great things she knew she _had_ to be was not a price she could pay lightly.

"I...don't know what's going to happen, Akko. B-but...as much as I wish it were different, I made a choice. I can't back down from it just because it's hard. _You_ were the one who taught me that. And now, you need to trust me."

Akko was the one who accepted Diana's help.

She made a choice too, and she had to stick with it.

"...Okay." She relented. "Just let me know if something changes, alright? And I mean it, no matter what it is."

"Of course."

Akko's fist tightened around the grip of the bow. The quicker she did this, the better the chance she could get Diana's magic back to her. She resolved to end this, here and now, and stepped through the shop's door into the world outside.

The parasite hovered several meters above the building. Its movements were frantic, dazed. Whatever Akko was doing had it frazzled, and as far as she was concerned, that had to be a good thing.

She pulled back on the bowstring, two sets of magic coursing through her veins. A magic arrow summoned itself instantaneously into her waiting hands, already perfectly nocked within the bow.

The arrowhead was alit with pure energy piercing through the dark night. It was enough to alert the parasite to her location just as she was preparing to fire. She aimed directly at the parasite's head, but despite its size, the insect had more than enough mobility within the air.

It ducked, and her shot sailed right over it. The arrow struck the shop's sign, and the pure force of it ripped the entire roof off. To say nothing of a large section of the walls.

The parasite turned to look at her. It seemed wrong to assume it had any sort of sentient thought, but she swore it had resolved not to let its guard down again.

Her footing disappeared from underneath her, just as it had in Arcturus. The memory of that night faded to black, and gave way to the next memory.

* * *

She was slightly more prepared for the drop the second time around, and managed to land easily on the metal floor.

She was in the foreboding interior of Croix's old lab, back when it was full of machines and magitronic experiments. She remembered the time she first visited, bough she couldn't recall much else from that night. Croix invited her when she asked the professor about Chariot, then she vaguely recalled the sound of some sort of... _fire_ , but she had apparently blacked out after that.

She quickly ducked behind one of the machines, spotting the parasite flying in front of Croix's main computer, diagrams of Fuel Spirit and emotional energy blinking behind it. It hadn't noticed her yet.

She recognized a pattern when she saw one. The two of them were being thrown from one memory to the next. _Neither_ of them was fully in-control of this anymore. And Akko had more memories than she had time.

The parasite was _clearly_ afraid of the bow, so it must be the key to stopping this. She just had to make every shot count. Every miss shot sped up the clock that much faster.

The parasite pulsated strangely, and she felt a sense of dread ebbing away at the back of her mind. The creature was trying to take back control.

She pulled back on her bowstring, and leapt from her cover, not giving the creature even a second to react. The arrow screeched through the air, right towards the parasite's head.

At this distance, there was no way it could move out of the way as the projectile entered its head.

But the shot phased right through the creature's shell as though it wasn't even there. It tore through Croix's heavy machinery and blasted a hole through the Tower's wall, but hadn't caused anything more than a mild _shudder_ to its actual target.

And for a third time, the floor gave way from under her and the world faded to black around her. As she fell into the next memory, her thoughts were filled with frustration.

' _What?! I hit that thing dead-on! How could I have missed?!'_

* * *

Despite her anger, she still managed to land on her feet, even accounting for the weapon in her hand. A quick glance confirmed she had landed in the memory of her trip to the Fountain of Polaris.

She couldn't see a sign of the parasite anywhere in this memory. No one manipulating her, nothing disturbing the peaceful chamber. She was almost surprised she wasn't dropped off in front of Arcas.

Every shot she made seemed to purge both the parasite and her from the memory, sending the into the next. What that meant, she had no idea.

Diana mumbled out a peculiar groan. "You can't imagine how strange that feels…"

Akko took her hand off the bowstring. "Sorry, I'll find-"

"No, no more running off without a plan." Diana said curtly. "I'll survive. If nothing else, it's a nice physical reminder that my magic's still in me somewhere…"

Akko tried not to feel guilty. She carefully pacing the fountain's perimeter, keeping her eyes peeled. "Are you _sure_ you're okay, Diana?"

"…Why did you do it, Akko?"

"What?"

"You _know_ what. How could you cast a sleeping spell on yourself? I know you were afraid of me getting hurt, but how could you think this was a better idea?"

"It's not like that!" Akko defended herself. "I knew you weren't gonna be happy with it, but…I thought…"

"What, that'd I just get over it? I thought I lost everything, Akko! I can't even cast a spell right now, and your bod- _you_ , are still lying on the table! We've been trying to wake you for hours, and we thought we were…!"

Diana let out a long sigh.

"Just...tell me _why_. I think I deserve that much."

Akko stopped, and chewed on her lower lip. She hadn't been looking forward to explaining this. Not just out of a fear of Diana's reaction, but out of fear of what it said about herself.

But she didn't have a choice now. "…I put myself in here because I was going to shut off my magic."

"You were going to _what?_ " Diana was horrified. "A-Akko, that's…"

"Yeah, doesn't feel so good on the other side, does it?"

Diana huffed. "…Fine. Point taken. But what did you expect me to do? I haven't had any idea of what you were going through for weeks! Of course I'm going to jump at the chance to help you. You didn't say a thing to me until it was at its absolute _worst!_ "

"Well I couldn't just-!" Something moved out of the corner of her eye. "Agh, hold on!"

The parasite had climbed on top of the Fountain itself, sneaking up behind her. She leapt back and summoned another arrow to her bow. Diana grunted.

The insect's wings flapped furiously, buzzing around the chamber, trying to circle behind her.

If a headshot wasn't going to work, she needed to try something else. The Fountain Chamber was small enough that neither of them had room to maneuver. She aimed at the base of its wings and let the shot burn through the air.

To her surprise, the parasite suddenly shifted around in midair, facing the deadly arrow head on, allowing it to once again phase uselessly through its head.

* * *

She rolled into her next landing, into cold, wet grass, surrounded by the rock formations of the Rastavan Ruins. This was the night Diana made the Pact with the Dragon, Fafnir.

The parasite was flying away, retreating deeper into the ruins. Akko had no choice but to run after it.

"For the record, Diana?" She started. "I'm _happy_ you wanted to help me! I'm happy you'd do all of this for me, but you took it too far! _That's_ why I had to stop you!"

" _I_ took it too far?" Diana repeated. "Do you remember the day you came into the cafeteria with that cut on your arm? All I knew you were homesick, and upset about the flight test, and I didn't know what to-"

"What, did you think I _meant_ to slice my arm open?"

"Of course not! But you've been shutting people out ever since! Can you blame me for not knowing what to do? For jumping at the first chance I got to do _anything?_ "

She didn't respond. It was difficult to run with such an unwieldy bow firmly secured to her arm. She couldn't get a clean shot on the parasite's backside. And her arrows didn't seem to be doing anything anyway.

' _So why is it running? What is trying to do and how do I get_ rid _of it already?!_ '

"This isn't getting us anywhere!" She shouted to Diana. "Ask Ursula or Croix what I'm supposed to do here, so I can slow it down!"

"How do I put this…" Diana murmured. "The more I try to keep focusing on talking to you, the more I seem to drift in and out of consciousness. I can't maintain this connection if our minds are wildly out of sync. I can talk to you, or them. Not both."

"Oh, perfect." So they were on their own.

"We wouldn't be _in_ this situation if you had just worked with us!"

The parasite finally stopped, hovering over the entrance to Fafnir's domain. It pulsated, just once, and the giant doors open, and suddenly the sky was flooded with the mechanical drones Fafnir used.

Their piercing mechanical eyes fixed on Akko instantly. The dragons flew right past the giant insect as though they couldn't even see it. As far as they saw, there was only _one_ intruder in the Ruins.

Two rock formations to Akko's right formed a sort of tent, and she quickly ducked into the alcove to avoid the relentless assault. Her bow could _easily_ rip these things apart. It had torn the entire roof off the shop. But she didn't _dare_ use any more of Diana's magic than she had to.

"Look, there must be _something_ you can do." Diana said. "You were always good at thinking outside the box. If you can't beat it head-on, then outsmart it! You can't wait much longer!"

Her thoughts raced. The parasite had shown nothing but absolute dominion over her memories. Whatever control it still had over her was protecting it. The drones couldn't see it, and neither could the cockatrice. Hitting its shell-covered head would do nothing, even _with_ Diana's additional strength.

But then, when the parasite had revealed its wings, its back had split open, revealing the red, fleshy insides beneath its shell. When she had aimed for its wings, it had suddenly turned to protect its backside.

Hitting it in the back was her best bet. It was just a question of how.

She readied another arrow. "Hold on, Diana. I'm gonna try shooting it again."

Diana merely hummed.

With a loud cry, she sprinted out from her cover, charging directly at the nearest mechanical drone. The drone frantically flapped its wings in reverse, desperate to avoid a collision.

It was even less prepared for her to use its head as a stepping stone, leaping off the drone to land atop one of the rock formations, giving her enough of a vantage point to get a clear shot right at the parasite's red innards.

The arrow screeched towards its target. The bug frantically turned so it would impact its shell. All it managed to do was splinter a large rock formation underneath it to shreds.

Another shot wasted. She had missed, _again_ , and now it knew where she was aiming.

As she fell into the next memory, growing in frustration, she had the distinct sense it was not happy about that.

* * *

She tried to prepare herself for landing in the next memory, only to find herself falling right on top of the broken remains of the Grand Charion. The already uneven surface was slick with oil splatters and condensation. She slipped down the misshapen chest chassis and tumbled face first into the grass.

"Ow…"

"Are you okay?"

"Been better."

The giant robot was totaled. This looked less like the _real_ memory of the night, and more like the aftermath of the Great Battle she had so many nights ago, when she truly realized she had lost control over her mind.

And suddenly, the air was split by a loud, piercing roar.

The giant crow-like monster that had torn Grand Charion to pieces towered over the side of the field, holding the disembodied head of the robot in its claws. As puny as it was in comparison, she could just _barely_ spot the parasite ducking behind the creature's head.

Under the parasite's influence, the magitronic monster winded back its arm and threw the robot's head, giving her almost no time to move.

It landed several meters away, but the ground shook like it had been struck by a meteorite, and Akko was sent spiraling backwards. Before she even had a chance to stand back up, the monster had charged, sprinting on its feet and knuckles like an angry gorilla.

It was right on top of her in a second, towering over her with its head in the sky. It raised its fists above her head.

She panicked. She couldn't get out the way in time. She was forced to fire off as quick, clumsy shot, hoping her aim was true.

She didn't even see the arrow until she saw its emerald streak tearing out the back of the monster's head.

* * *

She wasn't prepared for the fall. She landed hard on her back atop the belltower in Blytonbury. Her nerves were on fire from the impact. This was the day of the undead Mr. Holbrooke's travels.

Which likely meant the skeletal remains of the man was about to attack her. Her nerves felt like they were on fire, but she pushed herself to her feet anyway.

She knew the parasite's strategy. It was attacking her with every monster and threat it could dig up, forcing her on the defensive. Either one of the threats got lucky and destroyed her consciousness completely, or she was forced to waste a shot without even a chance at the leech's weak spot.

Either way, it won.

It had to be hiding on this belltower somewhere. She only got precious seconds to look before the trap door to the belltower was kicked open by Mr. Holbrooke's thick leather boots.

The skeletal remains of the man wasted no time. He screamed with a primal fury and rushed her. She barely managed to raise the bow in time to stop the sword strike.

Despite the wooden appearance, the bow didn't so much as chip under the blade. But Mr. Holbrooke was pushing down with all his might. Her muscles strained to keep the bow blocking the sword.

He didn't let up with the pressure as he took a step forward. She was forced to take a step back. The parasite's influence seemed to be strengthening the man, along with making him rabid. He had never been a threat to anyone except himself.

But now, he was driving her to the edge of the building, his sword locked with the grip of her bow.

"H-Holbrooke!" She tried desperately. "What...about your daughter? Miranda?"

"Mine!" Mr. Holbrooke baselessly screamed. "Won't take! Feed! Mine mine _mine!_ "

" _What?_ "

It was no use. All she had for her efforts was Diana's voice in her head asking who she was talking to. That, and with Holbrooke pushing her, she was getting closer and closer to the building's edge.

She hated to have to hurt him. She let the adrenaline rush through her. With a burst of strength, she shoved the bow upwards and threw the taller man off balance.

Exhausted, she fell to her knee. Holbrooke quickly recovered, and raised his sword to run her through. But by the time he was back within striking distance, Akko had already raised her arms. The skeleton found an arrow pointed directly at the bottom of his jaw.

* * *

She was too tired to try and orientate herself to land on her feet. She hit down hard and rolled uselessly on the stage of the Samhain Magic Festival.

She didn't get back up. This was a nice memory. She loved this memory. It just didn't seem fair.

Diana murmured at Akko's pained groans. "Akko, are you okay? Please, tell me what's happening."

Her back hurt. Along with every other part of her body. Her muscles ached. The bow was weighing down her arm. She was tired, cold, and guilt ridden.

"I'm fine." She lied. "But I don't know if I can hit this bug. Even if I do, it just goes right through its shell. But it keeps throwing stuff at me, so I can't even get the chance. I don't know what to do."

"...Croix mentioned something a while back." Diana said. "The parasite has its own magic, and it uses yours to sustain itself. Now that it's cut off from yours, it only has its own reserves to work off of."

"What's that mean…?"

"It can't keep going on like this anymore than you can. Attacking you while simultaneously defending itself is draining it. If you can keep attacking it with our magic, it's going to slow down until you _can_ hit it."

"...I can...work with that."

It took some effort, but she at least managed to sit up. On the other side of the field, Vajarois let out a mighty wail. It lumbered to the stage, fixing her with its gaze, tossing up grass and dirt as it drew closer.

Absently, she noted with all the lights glowing on the stage, it made it hard to see the stars in the night sky.

"It's funny…" Akko mused. "...when I was looking through my memories, I never really did anything by myself. I _always_ had you, or Lotte and Sucy, or Ursula…I wanted this to be different."

"Isn't that the whole point of having teammates? Of being in a relationship? To have someone else share the burden?"

As she thought about it, the burden here still didn't feel equally shared.

She managed to stand on her feet again by the time Vajarois made it to the stage. Its massive body crushed the edges of the platform as it rolled onto it. Splinters of wood flew every direction. She readied her bow.

' _...No, that thing's gotta be hiding in this memory somewhere. I'm not playing its game_.'

She ran right around Vajarois off the stage. The giant creature struggled to turn around fast enough.

Her eyes raced to find the parasite. If no one could see it except her, then she couldn't count on the crowd's attention to point her way. _This_ was something she had to do on her own. She was the only one who could do it.

She spotted the parasite fluttering above the judge's table, the 3 witches oblivious to its presence. And the parasite, seemingly, to hers, pulsating too quickly to try and direct Vajarois with whatever power it had left.

Akko refused to slow down. She let the arrow fly, ignoring the shrieks of the judges as it screeched in their direction, sailing directly towards the parasite.

The arrow cut a hole right through the edge of its wing.

The parasite let out a horrific screech, and struggled to keep airborne.

Akko's face lit up. "I hit it! I hit it, Diana!"

"Is it down?"

She tried to take aim again, but her footing disappeared right from under her. The memory was fading. If she could just hit it now, get it before it recovered, and it was able to hide in the next memory...

* * *

But before she could line up her shot, she found herself in the hidden hospital within the catacombs of Cavendish Manor. Her senses were alight, encouraged by her victory, but she couldn't see it anywhere.

"...It got away." Akko sighed.

"I see…" Diana said. "It sounds like you wounded it at least. You're almost there."

She noted she hadn't _fallen_ into this memory. She simply appeared. She was too tired to have the sensibility to appreciate it. If she had just another second in the last memory, she would have finished it.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry I dragged you into this." Akko confessed. "It was selfish of me to make you do this…I should've just cut down the tree."

"That's not true."

"It would've gotten rid of the nightmares, _and_ it would've kept you safe. Instead I'm running around in here, and I'm hurting you too. How is this not the selfish option?"

"...May I ask you something?" Diana said. Her voice sounded much gentler. "If you're so worried about keeping me safe, what made you change your mind? About accepting my help?"

Akko ran her fingers along one of the hospital beds. "I…I don't know, exactly. Maybe I was just too afraid of giving up my magic."

"I don't believe that." Diana told her. "You had to have known that it was wrong. I know why you felt like you had to protect me, but that's not the same thing as shutting me out entirely."

"It's just…such a _big thing_ , Diana!"

"It's...a risk, yes. There is a high price if we fail. But if we can succeed, we can have the best of _both_ worlds."

"But _you_ shouldn't have to be taking the risks _for_ me!" Akko cried. "That's what I've been saying! I should've done this myself! Everyone at Luna Nova was always telling me I didn't have what it took to be a witch. Even...even _you_ did, back then."

"I...It was wrong of me to-"

"But you were _right_ , Diana! You were completely right about how I needed to shape up and be better, how I couldn't just expect things to work out for me. And it took me a whole year to learn that."

"Is that what this was...?" Diana asked quietly. "An attempt to prove yourself?"

" _Yes!_ " Akko thought that should've been obvious. "Of course that's what it was! This is my mind! And if I can't even fix _this_ myself…!"

Frustrated, she raised the bow, taking aim at the hospital bed. She recognized that one. It was where Diana had treated her once. Where she had once lay helpless, unable to do anything. And just seeing that reminder hurt.

But she quickly lowered the weapon. That was the kind of person she was, wasn't it? She got mad, so she almost put Diana's magic at risk even more.

"…That's what I meant when I said I was selfish, Diana. I have to use your magic to save myself. I had to make all of you guys find the way to fix it, _and_ built the machine to do it. And even now when it actually really matters…it's Beatrix and Woodward's magic that saves the day. Not mine."

She felt too tired to stand. She simply sat on the floor, hugging her legs to her chest.

"...I'm the one who's magic should be in danger, Diana. You have too much of a future."

Diana said nothing. And for a moment, Akko wondered if she had smartened up and left.

Something stirred within her stomach. All at once, the golden silhouette, in Diana's beautiful form, manifested itself again. It stood above her, showing neither emotion nor care.

"You know what landed us here in the first place?" Diana asked at last. "You're too headstrong. You leap headfirst into the worst situations without even once thinking, and you don't listen a word anyone says. You're _reckless._ And do you know _why_ you have Beatrix's blessing in you?"

In a gentle motion, one much more like Diana herself, the silhouette bent down to face her directly.

"You have Beatrix's blessing because you didn't listen to a word I said when I told you not to follow me. You risked your life to save mine. Yes, you made countless mistakes, and you could've spared yourself a lot of trouble if you just listened, but you didn't just _get_ Beatrix's blessing. You _earned_ it."

The silhouette suddenly wrapped its arms around her midsection, and helped her to her feet.

"You weren't the one who put me on the line here." Diana said. "I made a decision to be here, to accept the risks. Because I love you. Not a perfect witch, not some airheaded girl, not the Chosen One. _You_. Because of the person who are."

"I…" Akko blinked. She had earned it? Earned Beatrix's blessing? Diana acting this way? "I never…thought about it like that."

"Like I said, you're too headstrong." Diana teased. "Or would you like me to remind you how many of our friends were people _you_ won over? Or should I go into how you proved to be worthier of the Shiny Rod than all of them? Or…?"

"O-okay, okay, I get it!" A breathless laugh escaped Akko's lips. "…Thank you, Diana."

As the magic that comprised the silhouette was reabsorbed back into Akko's body, she found herself invigorated with a hope she had thought she lost.

She poured even more of her own magic into the bow, her own magic more in-sync with Diana's. The blow glimmered with a luster like never before, filling the catacomb with the full light of two witches.

"...So if we can still feel your magic…" Akko mused. "Then there's gotta be a chance to get it back to you safely."

"My thoughts exactly." Diana agreed. "The faster you can take down that parasite, the better our chances."

By this point, finding the parasite in this memory was a lost cause. It hid itself to lick its wounds, but jolting her memory should jostle it out of its hiding place. She pulled back on the bowstring, a smile finding its way to her lips.

"Are you ready, Diana?"

"As I'll ever be, Akko. Let's finish this, shall we?"

The magic of the arrow that tore through the chamber might've put both Woodward and Beatrix to shame.

* * *

There was a party in the Hanbridge Manor. And the party had grown chaotic, thanks to the machinations of the Cupid Bee. Already, several prestigious and respectable guests had been infected with its strange power, filled with foreign emotion and affection.

What few partygoers knew it was there were left to wonder if there could ever be a more infernal insect. The Cupid Bee flew over the crowded halls, wondering where it would sting next.

Only to find a parasite flying in the opposite direction. The Cupid Bee splattered against its shell like, fittingly, a bug on a windshield.

The lovesick Diana Cavendish, clad in a stunning blue ball down, grew faint as the venom wore off. "I don't understand. What's going on…?"

Akko, with a pink ballgown and a monstrously oversized bow and arrow, quickly brushed past her. "Yeah, join the club Diana."

"What?" The _real_ Diana, in her head, asked.

"Not you, there's another Diana in this memory."

"…How do you get me in these situations, Akko?" She got the distinct sense Diana was shaking her head.

Even with the hole in its wing, the parasite was keeping itself airborne. They had it on the run, but unfortunately, it seemed it could run quite a bit faster than her.

She hopped onto the second-floor banister and spotted it making a break across the first floor. She fired off a shot just as it was passing in-front of the piano where Andrew played.

The arrow smashed the priceless piano to pieces, scattering authentic ivory keys through the air. Akko leapt off the banister after her target as the memory faded into the next.

* * *

She landed atop one of thicker branches of the Wagandea Tree. The parasite was far below, darting to hide under the trees on the forest floor.

The next branch of Wagandea down was too far to jump, forcing her to try and make a lucky shot from football field away.

She tried to steady her aim on the tiny, fleeting target. "Stupid bug…lemme shoot you already!"

"Charming." Diana chimed in.

* * *

On the ground level, the parasite raced across Luna Nova's campus, dodging and weaving past decorations and banners being hung in the air, on the day just before the Samhain Festival. It was trying to put as much distance between it and its pursuer as it could.

Akko dashed around the academy's corner. She barreled through students gathered in front of the Jennifer Statue, single-minded on catching back up.

"Ack!" Avery cried as she was shoved aside. "What are you, crazy?!"

"No I'm not crazy!" Akko said, then continued to speak to the voice in her head. "And, _really_ Diana? You're sassing me _now?_ "

"Oh, I think I've _more_ than earned some light sassiness. I still have half a mind to yell at you."

The parasite suddenly swerved, and she instinctively fired. But the shot sailed right past the creature as it crashed through the academy window to hide inside.

* * *

She sprinted into the building after it, through the halls of the prestigious Appleton Academy, where she and Amanda O'Neill had searched for the Holy Grail.

"Only if I get to yell at you back!" Akko retorted. "Totally outside of the me-abusing-your-magic thing, you were still _way_ too quick to give up everything, and that's not fair to me _or_ you!"

"What is that supposed to mean? Didn't I say the point of relationships is to _share_ the burden?"

The parasite flew down the stairs. Akko hopped onto the polished handrail, sliding down on her shoes. She fired another shot at its backside, and again the parasite desperately turned to make it hit its shell.

* * *

She continued to slide down a skyscraper-sized mushroom, in the mindscape dreamt up by the Sleeping Sucy. She hadn't expected to find herself her again. The parasite was escaping towards the giant drive-in theater.

"Yeah, share!" Akko said. "It's not sharing if you do _everything!_ I love when you do stuff for me, but if I started taking over all your homework and housework and did _everything_ for you, wouldn't you feel useless?"

"I…I do those things because I care about you! It's not like you've never done anything for me, you changed my _life_. The only reason I'm still at Luna Nova is because of you!"

When she reached the edge of the mushroom's cap, she jumped, letting her extra momentum carry her as far as it could.

She landed on the center of a second oversize mushroom just below. The mushroom's cap stretched under her weight and launched her skyward like a trampoline.

She rocketed through the air, struggling to keep her eyes open with the wind rippling against her face. She rapidly closed in on the parasite, practically within spitting distance.

The insect swerved as she fired another arrow, but its movements were sluggish. It only _barely_ managed to turn in time, the arrow just missing its red innards by centimeters. As Akko continued to sail right over it, she noted it was getting tired.

* * *

Her long fall was broken by a snowbank in Pohjola. She was sick of the cold. She was in no mood to live through _this_ trial again.

She pulled herself out of the snowbank, shaking white powder of her bow. "Do you remember when you visited me in detention? Or after the last nightmare. We sat together, and you gave me a healing massage? That was nice. I _like_ when you go out of your way for me with stuff like that. But not with stuff that's gonna make your life worse!"

"…I understand."

"I love _all_ of you, Diana. That's why I didn't want you to lose any of what made you, you!"

"I'll...keep that in mind, in the future. I promise." Diana said. "But for the record, you've been mostly using your _own_ magic to fight this creature for the past several minutes. I've barely felt a thing."

"I have?" Akko blinked as she pattered across the snowy path. "Maybe that's why it hasn't been working."

"Akko…"

"It's been a _rough_ time, Diana."

"Even subconsciously, you're still trying to protect me." Diana let out a soft sigh. "I do think it's sweet, and...I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually somewhat honored you'd _try_ to give up your magic out of concern for me. But you have to know, your sentiment, about loving _all_ of me? I feel the same way."

The parasite was closing in on the village where Lotte lived. But she wasn't getting anywhere trudging the snow.

Diana huffed. "Look, this is an important discussion, and this is _not_ the environment to have it, alright? Let's just say we both have needs, and we need to work together more, alright?"

Akko readied her bow. She had no visibility and too great a distance, but she had to try. "That's all I wanted to hear."

* * *

She fell forward into a bush just outside of campus. She recognized all the signs hanging off trees as being from the broom race. She couldn't let herself stop now, but even the thought of standing up and running around more made her muscles ache.

"Ah geez…" Akko tried to catch her breath. "I don't think I ever realized how much stuff I went through…"

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It's...something. But my arms are _killing_ me."

"...We're running out of time." Diana said. "I haven't been able to speak with the others in a while, but even we last spoke, we knew all this physical activity is wreaking havoc on your body. You can't take much more of this."

She tried to hide it, but Akko could hear the fear in her voice. "I...listen, I've been doing this a while now. I know what I'm doing in here. As bad as it looks, I... _can_ handle myself."

"It's not that I doubt you." Diana said. "But it's...hard. I can't see what you're going through, you know. I've just been listening this entire time. I swear my heart stops every time I hear you get hurt, when I don't even know what's _doing_ it."

Akko pushed herself out of the bush, rolling her neck. "So...what do we do? Do you have any ideas?

"I do. If I focus all my attention, I might be able to strengthen my magic within you more. But I doubt I'll be able to do that and keep speaking to you."

They both knew what doing that meant. The more focused Diana's magic was, the more powerful it would be. And it put her magic, and the chance she could get it back, at even greater risk than it already was.

"Diana…"

"But that _also_ means you'll have to rely on yourself. I won't be able to direct my magic, or...or even know what's happening to you. If you get stuck, there's...nothing I can do."

Akko chewed on her lower lip. More risk, more reward. Exactly why she had asked Diana for help. But selfishly, she didn't want to be alone against this parasite again.

"Do you trust me?" Diana asked.

"…I do."

"Then…I'm trusting you to wake up from this. I swear I'll be there when you wake up, but only if you'll be there. Don't let me down."

"I will." Akko declared. "I promise you, I'll…I'll find a way! I'll finish this for both of us and get your magic back to you!"

She felt Diana's magic stirring within her stomach. Flames suddenly engulfed the bow, tempering it. Strengthening it.

"…I know you will." Diana told her. Her voice was fading fast. "I love y-..."

"I love you too, Diana!"

She did not hear Diana's voice in her mind again.

The bow radiated with magical energy, a blue aura burning around its purple limbs. Akko could only hope she heard her before she had disappeared, and that this would be enough to finish this once and for all.

She could not let Diana down. And she couldn't let _herself_ down either.

She spotted the parasite moments later, mixed right in the middle of several racers on their broomsticks. The witches, still oblivious to its presence, were bunched closely together, which didn't give her a clear shot.

Real people or not, she didn't want to risk missing and seeing someone she knew hurt. She could wait until the crowd dispersed and gave her a clearer shot.

But no, there was too much already riding on this.

She steadied her feet and aimed very carefully, wishing with whatever power she had left that her aim would be true.

Her arrow sailed cleanly past the racers. It homed in dead-center on the bug's back. But as if it was able to sense it was coming, the parasite waited until the last second and ducked under the shot.

Only for the shot to pull a full 180 in midair. It curved around in the air, and tore the parasite's damaged wing clean off.

The parasite screeched in pain, writhing in midair. It flapped its remaining wing furiously, struggling to stay aloft. They both knew it couldn't keep airborne for much longer.

As the memory faded it into the next, the leech turned to face her. If it had eyes, she might've imagined it had venom in them.

* * *

She fell back against the Jennifer Tree, in Luna Nova's greenhouse. The roots were still covered with the chrysalises of the Pappiliodya. She still felt that familiar jolt in her stomach each time the world changed. She didn't have very many left in her, and if she passed out in here, she doubted she'd wake up.

At the soft sound of footsteps, she looked up, just in time to see Diana point her wand.

" _Murowa!_ "

Powerful magical energy stabbed into her stomach. Akko fell to her back as the spell stabbed at every nerve on her skin. Her muscles spasmed. She felt like she was on fire.

Diana screamed with all her lungs. "Just give up! _Mine!_ You're nothing! Give up! Give up!

Whatever it was in front of her wasn't even making the effort to act like Diana. It acted more like a rabid dog.

" _Murowa!_ "

'Diana' fired again. The bolt stabbed into Akko's chest. She opened her mouth to scream, but not a single sound could escape her.

"I won't let you win!" 'Diana' yelled, her eyes were bloodshot. "I won't! It's mine! I won't!"

She didn't come this far just to fail. She had to move.

She had to _move_.

With a cry of effort, Akko forced her muscles to respond, summoning another shot and pulling back on the bowstring. She took aim, just as 'Diana' had prepared to fire upon her again.

But the two of them stood frozen. 'Diana' with her wand in hand, startled by the arrow pointed at her chest, and Akko ready to fire, but unable to bring herself to.

A smug smile spread across Diana's face. "...you can't shoot me, can you?" It challenged. "You can't stomach the thought of hurting her. You know you're nothing without her. Don't you? You're nothing."

Akko's hands shook on the bowstring. "I...I can't…"

Her expression steeled, and she readjusted her aim.

"Stop messing with my head!"

Akko fired at the roots of the Jennifer Tree. As Diana and Akko's combined magic coursed through the tree, the chrysalises suddenly burst open, and 'Diana' could only hold up her hands as she was swarmed by a mob of Pappiliodya.

This was _Akko's_ mind, and she wanted it back.

'Diana' toppled over under the assault. Just as the memory faded into the next, the parasite appeared from behind the Cavendish heiress, panicking.

* * *

Akko leapt to her feet and chased it through the halls of Cavendish Manor. She was running out of memories, but it was running out of places to hide.

They both knew if it could get a straight shot at it, it had no chance to avoid it. So it weaved the most the complicated path it could make. It's only remaining defense was to force her to waste time, waste her shots.

And unfortunately, it was good at it. She chased it into the dining hall, where it knocked Beatrix's tapestry down, sending it falling on top of her.

She fired blindly, and the arrow tore the priceless family heirloom to shreds. She tore the remains off her head, but all she got a fleeting vision of the parasite turning the corner. She took off running.

* * *

She burst into the Headmistress's office after it, earning her gasps from Ursula and Finnelan. _They_ couldn't see the bug, ducking to the other side of the display of Woodward's hat.

All they could see was the determined girl with the enormous glowing bow, as she suddenly aimed a magic arrow just to the side of Headmistress Holbrooke's head.

Holbrooke hid underneath her desk, and Akko let the arrow fly. It utterly obliterated Woodward's hat, along with most of the wall behind it. The one-winged parasite scampered out the window.

Ignoring the aghast cries of Ursula, Akko leapt out the window after it.

* * *

She landed back on the snowy rooftop of Blytonbury, where Chariot and Croix awaited, alongside the latter's Magitronic Spider.

The Spider, suddenly possessed, began to stomp over towards the student as the parasite weaved through its rapidly moving legs. But for as large as the Magitronic creature was, it fared no better against the bow.

The spider toppled, and as the parasite dove off the side of the building, she dove right after it.

* * *

She rolled into her landing in the middle of the NightFall fan convention. The parasite pulled up and raced through the crowd, perhaps hoping she wouldn't fire if she could risk hitting an innocent person.

But she couldn't be deterred now. She just needed a little height. She spotted some fan dressed in a fairly tall Big Ben costume. She hopped onto a nearby chair, and leapfrogged off the top of the costume into the air.

The unfortunate soul inside the costume reeled from having their head used as a stepping stone and toppled to the ground.

Her arrows wouldn't stop until they hit _something_ , and she fired a quick shot just as the parasite darted behind the curtain where Annabel was waiting for the contest's winner.

Flames engulfed the curtain, and the leech was laid bare as it dashed off stage.

* * *

Akko landed in the Blue Moon Abyss, just as the parasite was rounding one of the chamber's corners.

Her legs were burning, but she wouldn't let up. She refused to let herself pass out.

The parasite fled behind a large tree at the end of the chamber. The arrow easily tore through it, but the room was suddenly filled with a burst of smoke. She hacked and coughed, falling to her knees. The parasite wasted no time using it to cover its escape.

* * *

When the smoke cleared, and she opened her eyes, she found herself simply...sitting down.

It was a cool fall day, and Luna Nova's workers, goblins and minotaurs, sat beside her on strike in front of Luna Nova Tower. They were campaigning for a new age of magic. And for the most part, everything was quiet and peaceful.

She doubled over, panting for breath. She was absolutely exhausted. "Oh thank goodness…an easy one…"

"Hey, what's wrong, brother?" A goblin elbowed her. "Don't you believe in the cause?"

"No, no I do, I do…" She lazily waved her hand. "I just…need to catch my breath…"

She took a moment to herself, sucking in lungfuls of cool, refreshing air. She barely noticed when a pebble plopped against her head. She definitely took notice when a second one did.

The Tower behind her rumbled.

The base of it simply crumbled, spraying stones everywhere. With a loud groan, the Tower began to fall over, rocketing downwards towards the crowd gathered below.

The workers scattered in fear, screaming and pushing. Akko just threw up her hands.

"Oh come _on!_ "

Her memories were spiraling completely out of control. There was no rhyme or reason to the visions. No one was at the helm right now, and if she couldn't stop the parasite now...

She fell to her back and fired straight up. The single shot ripped the entire Tower in two, and the memory faded before either half could hit the ground.

* * *

She climbed back to her feet in the forest of Arcturus. It was full of lush, green plants and beautiful flowers, the kind that had sprouted upon opening the Grand Triskellion. This was the end of the road.

The parasite made a mad dash into the forest. Ignoring the pain in her stomach, Akko bolted after it. It was making an erratic, serpentine-like path through the trees. Anything to avoid giving her a clean shot.

"Stop running!" She yelled. "I told you before, this is _my_ mind!"

The leech sped through branches in the air. She tore through brambles on the ground.

"This is _my_ life! All the people you twisted...all the accomplishments you took from me...I'm taking them back!"

She hurdled over a rock in her way. The parasite, as drained and exhausted as her, twisted through a cluster of trees.

Only to find itself in the open clearing where the Grand Triskellion had been opened. Where _Akko_ had opened it. It could only wail as an arrow tore through its remaining wing.

* * *

And she finally landed atop the Noir Rod as the missile coursed through the air. Her uniform shining a stark white, the bow and arrow blazing, her eyes burning with fatal determination.

The turbulence slammed into her, threatening to knock her from the warhead. She planted her feet, and pushed the wind right back. The parasite ducked in front of the head of the Noir Rod, out of her view.

"I'm taking it back!" She cried. "All my mistakes, every _stupid_ thing I've ever lived through, I'm taking it _back!_ "

The wind billowed against her, but she ran forward. Towards the head of the missile. Towards the end.

The sides of the Noir Rod opened, launching a flurry of missiles into the air. They barely made the effort to home in on her. The Noir Rod was simply firing as many shots as it could, desperately hoping one would connect.

The missiles exploded against the Noir Rod's aluminum shell. She could feel the flames licking at her back. She let it push her forward. To ignore how loudly her body cried out for rest.

With one last cry of effort, Akko raced forward, pulled back on the bowstring and leapt off the head of the Noir Rod.

She fell upside down through the air, and came face to face with the parasite hiding under the belly of the missile. She fired, and the arrow tore off its second wing.

* * *

The world jolted as the insect screeched in pain. With nothing to keep it upright, it could only fall. Just as Akko did.

She was falling from the Noir Rod as it raced through the sky. And then she was falling from the sky towards the gullet of Vajarois. Then falling from the top of Luna Nova Tower in preparation from the broom race. Falling from the Sealed Door of the Horologium Room. Falling from a cliff in Arcturus. Falling from Wagandea.

The environments looped. The Noir Rod, Vajarois, the Tower, the Sealed Door, Wagandea, Arcturus. Over, and over, faster and faster. The daylight of one memory bled into the moonlight of another, until all the colors of all the memories ran together until nothing was decipherable.

And she and the parasite were falling endlessly through an inky black void. No world around them, no frame of reference. Nothing. The memories were out of the control and left nothing in their wake but an abyss.

The only light at all was that of the bow shining in her hand.

She couldn't tell which direction was up and which was down, but she could see the parasite just ahead of her. Its fleshy, red back was completely uncovered. It was too wild to notice her taking aim, and too incapacitated to move if it did.

There was no missing this time. It was an easy shot to make even without all the magic to ensure she would. She summoned an arrow to her bowstring.

The moment of truth, she supposed.

If this worked, she'd wake up from the nightmare, with the illness plaguing her mind finally gone for good. And if it failed, she just wouldn't wake up at all.

"I'm not afraid." Akko said. "I'm a witch."

She pulled back her shot, and let go.

The arrow streaked through the air like a beam of light. And it stabbed into the parasite's vulnerable back, and ripped out its front.

The parasite thrashed wildly in its death throes as its body, shell and all, was engulfed in purple flames. The magic coursed through its body and reduced it to nothing. One final, screeching wail escaped as the parasite that had plagued her for so long burned away.

All that remained was a green smoke, slowly evaporating into the darkness. Before it faded away completely, Akko swore it looked like a hand reaching out.

The smoke gave way and disappeared into nothingness. She closed her eyes, and let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding for so long. The bow in her hand glittered, and gently faded away as she finally relaxed.

Finally, it was gone.

It was over.

She could feel the last vestiges of the parasite's control leaving her mind. And she felt herself fading, but whether it was to sleep or to oblivion, she really didn't know. She had no way of knowing except by faith, at this point.

It was funny, in a way.

Faith had been what drove her originally. An unquestioning trust in Shiny Chariot, in her own dream and own power. The Words hadn't taken that faith away, but they had forced her to grow up, and be more critical.

To think more about her place in the world, about the goals she was working for, about what she alone could do. To be patient, to be grateful, to consider opposing viewpoints and to be a part of a something bigger.

Maybe, between there and now, was where she went wrong.

Maybe she had gotten so used to things going wrong, so acclimated to the taste of disappointment and failure, she stopped being able to see the good. She had gotten so used to seeing failures, she almost stopped believing.

Maybe if she had been more like the Akko who had started this journey, she would have thought more of the affliction in her mind than just the latest in a long line of things going wrong. She would've gone to Ursula and Diana sooner, because she had less to prove.

It was food for thought. She didn't know. She felt very calm and reflective, all of a sudden.

She did good, in the end. She went looking for Shiny Chariot and came back with a professor who treated her like she was her own flesh and blood. She wanted friends who'd share her love of magic, and found a family in her home away from home.

And Diana…where did she begin? How in the world did she manage to get a girl like her? It was crazy, is what it was.

She really _did_ beat the parasite. If she woke up from this, she resolved to find a way to make sure Diana got her magic back. But she hoped there was still a way otherwise. Diana deserved at least that much.

And then outside of everyone, there was Akko herself. Even with all her mistakes, she went farther, stronger, and harder than anyone could've predicted.

She was proud of that.

There was no one there to witness it. But as the darkness swallowed her up, Akko believed with all her heart.


	21. Final Thoughts

Akko's head swimming when she finally opened her eyes. She was laying on her back, staring upwards at lights that seemed too harsh. She didn't bother to shift underneath the sterile, white sheets that had been draped over her. She was definitely feeling the aftermath of all the running around she had done.

When the world finally came into focus, she realized she was lying in a bed in the nurse's office.

Immediately, her hand snapped up to the back of her head, anxious and half-afraid of what she might find. She did not find the long tresses or the ponytail she had worn throughout her past. Her hair was short again. Just the way she had cut it herself.

And that meant that…she was back in the real world.

She quickly checked to confirm that Diana's magic was still coursing within her. She could no longer tap into it, however. It had separated itself from Akko's magic while she had slept, hanging off of her like dead weight.

She had been unconscious for...who knows how long, so it must've separated on its own. She could feel it calling out to return to its rightful place, like a pull in her belly.

' _Maybe that means it'll be easy to give it back to Diana...I just gotta figure out...how, exactly._ '

Still, a hoarse laugh escaped her throat as she laid her hand on the bare nape of her neck. The magic was safe. And she hadn't just escaped from the nightmare, she had _beat_ it. She won. She had taken back her mind, and she was...

" _-finally_ awake! Good heavens, Kagari!"

The boisterous voice of the academy nurse startled her. The woman lifted herself from her desk and made her way to Akko's bedside, playfully shaking her head at her.

"I don't think I'll ever have a more troublesome patient if I work here another hundred years!" The nurse said. "Now stop moving around so much, let me look at you. You know where you are, correct?"

"Y-yeah! This is Luna Nova, right? But what happened to everyone else? Diana, and the others! Are they-?" Akko groaned as her temples flashed. "Oww…"

The nurse tutted disapprovingly. "I told you not to worry. But you've never let me stop you before, clearly."

The nurse's hands were cold against her skin, but she seemed momentarily satisfied with her patient's physical condition. She took a seat on the foot of the bed with a calm expression.

"Everyone is fine, Miss Kagari." She said. "Including yourself, as a matter of fact. You've been out for a while, but the curse that was afflicting you was purged from your system early morning on the day before yesterday."

"It's...it's really gone, isn't it? For good?"

"Just once I'd like one of you to believe me the first time I say that." The nurse deadpanned. "We've been checking every few hours just to make sure. And there's no sign of it in your Mana signature or otherwise. You're safe now, Kagari."

Akko let out a breath that she had been holding for far too long. "It's over…I-it's finally over…"

She had been too close to passing out to fully appreciate it, until now. It was so freeing, knowing she could let go of all the stress, and knowing it wasn't just going to come back tenfold the next time she closed her eyes.

"...in any case," the nurse said. "The damage the parasite did is healing. We'd like to keep you in here for another night, however. Both to make absolutely sure, and...well, this doesn't _seem_ to be life-threatening, but there's an abnormality in your magic. It's...a little like-"

"Like someone else's magic is in there too?"

"Uh...yes, that's...e-exactly right. Professor Ursula did say you'd know what it was when I brought it up to her. But either way, take it easy for once, okay? Your body, your mind, _and_ your magic have been through a lot, and I don't want to see you in here for another month at _minimum_."

Akko supposed she could live with that. Considering her muscles protested with the slightest movement, she was perfectly fine with not having to walk back to her room tonight. Besides, it gave her time to think.

The nurse started back to her desk, and then paused in the middle of the floor.

"Oh, and...I don't know if you saw her yet, but…"

She turned, and with a smile that could only be described as sly, the nurse pointed just past her. Akko followed the line of her finger to the other side of her bed. A chair had been pulled up next to her bed. Her eyes widened.

Diana was sitting right next to her, fast asleep. Her arms, folded tightly over her chest, rose and fell with her silent snores.

"She really _was_ here the whole time…" Akko said.

The nurse smiled. "Never left your side for a moment. You really have some amazing people in your life, Akko..." There was the slightest hint of admiration in her tone. "...Now please get rid of her for me, will you? I can't _work_ with her hovering in here."

Akko rolled onto her stomach, and flopped her head back down on the pillow, her captivated gaze never tearing away for a second. She smiled so hard her cheeks ached.

Diana looked so _disheveled_. Her hair was blatantly uncombed. Her shirt collar was half-upturned, to say nothing of the rest of her uniform. How embarrassed she would be, if anyone else could see her like this.

Akko ignored the dull pain in her arms, and gently turned the sleeping girl's collar back down, carefully running her fingers along Diana's neck to smooth it out. She picked stray strands of hair hanging over her face, and set them to the side of her head, more like how Diana would want to be seen.

And her fingers drifted down from platinum blonde hair, tracing the outline of Diana's lips, soft enough as to not stir her from her well-earned sleep. All that had happened, and Diana was _here_ , with her. She swore she had never felt more in love.

Groggily, Diana flicked her finger away. "Not now, Barbara…"

She looked so peaceful right now, more than she had in so long. Akko felt guilty for having to wake her. "Diana...?"

Diana slowly blinked. Half asleep, she gazed at her with lidded blue eyes. The handful of seconds might've lasted forever, until reality caught up with her. Diana snapped awake, and bolted upright.

"A-Akko!"

"...Hi." Akko managed to say. "I...I promised you I'd make it, didn't I?"

"You…" Diana swallowed. "...you did. Yes. A-and, no matter how many days it took, I never lost faith that you would."

"And...you kept your promise too. You're _here_."

Gradually, Diana returned Akko's hopeless grin. She kneeled, seemingly careful to touch her, but Akko, unwilling to wait another moment, wrapped her arms around her.

Diana pulled her closer, tighter. Any objections and doubts she might've had disappeared as her body melted into the embrace. Akko could feel her letting out a shaky breath against her.

"I...I thought I lost you…"

"I know, Akko." Diana whispered. "I know."

It hit her all at once. She hadn't allowed herself to react for so long. If she allowed every attack, allowed all the times she balanced on the razor's edge and came deathly close to falling, to get to her, she never would've made it.

She didn't feel ashamed to cry on Diana's shoulder anymore. For better or for worse, she knew who she was. She was a survivor.

Her hands tightened around the fabric of Diana's shirt. "T-thank you...for _everything_ …a-and...I'm sorry."

"No...no, there's nothing to apologize for."

Akko pulled away, shaking her head. "I...I pushed you too far...made you worry. I lied and I went behind your back, a-and...I wasn't a good girlfriend. I'm...sorry, Diana."

It was Diana's turn now, to straighten out the folds in Akko's clothes as she ran her hand across her shoulder and down her arm.

"Then let be honest too." She said. "...even...even if I _can't_ just forgive everything you did just like that...I don't blame you. It wouldn't be fair. You couldn't even feel safe in your own mind."

"...I know." Akko confessed. "But...I _had_ to apologize anyway."

"And that alone speaks volumes about the type of girlfriend you truly are."

A pleasant tinge hit Akko's cheeks, and she could really only manage a small chuckle, wiping her eyes.

Though something Diana said made her pause.

"...when you said no matter how many days it took..." Akko's brows furrowed. "How long was I asleep this time?"

Diana bit her lower lip. "...well...the nurse informed us you actually purged the parasite on the day before yesterday, and...we've been taking care of you as much as we could on our end. So all that was wrong is...your body needed to catch up on sleep, and since you were already doing just that…"

She shook her head, and simply forced herself to say it straight out.

"It's...the 26th, Akko. You...slept through your birthday."

Akko deflated, sinking into her bedsheets. "Oh…"

"I'm sorry."

"No...I guess it's fine. If I had listened to you from the start…" She shook her head and focused on the task at hand. "Besides, if I was out that long that means you haven't had magic for days! I...I still have it in me, Diana! I have to give it back!"

Diana paused. "...Just rest, for now. You only just woke up, and it will-."

"No." Akko cut in. "I _can't_ rest. I owe a _lot_ more than this. I gotta make this right for you."

She squeezed Diana's hand back, and like a true witch, let herself sink into the energy flowing through her being. She knew Diana objected, but she also knew this was her responsibility.

She used her own magic like a crutch, pushing the foreign energy outwards. Diana's magic cried out to refill the void it had been stolen from, and she guided it along on its journey back to its rightful place.

But whatever flow she had built quickly stopped, and she suddenly felt like she was pushing against a brick wall. She could keep pushing it forward, but no matter how many waves she hit it with, it would never get through.

Her temples burned, and she had to stop. "Ow." She groaned, holding her forehead.

"Are you alright?"

"Something's...blocking it. It's _right_ there, but I...I can't…" She tapped her chin. "Maybe the Noir Funnel…?"

"Disassembled. That kind of technology isn't allowed anyway. Look, I can't even imagine what you've been through, but you shouldn't push yourself right now."

Akko opened her mouth to protest, but for what she had in passion, she lacked in energy. She sighed.

"I don't wanna argue with you anymore. But you…" She ran a hand through her hair. "... you keep... _giving._ And I need to know how to make sure I don't take too much."

Diana pensively leaned back on her chair. "...I've sat on that question for the better part of four days now. I woke up not long after we broke off communication, and you kept sleeping. So I kept thinking about everything you told me, and whether you were right, and I _did_ push myself too far."

"So...what did you decide...?"

Diana closed her eyes. "The mark of a Cavendish is to use every resource at my disposal for the good of others. I couldn't call myself worthy of Beatrix's House if I didn't raise a hand to help, and I couldn't call myself worthy of _you_ , if I hadn't done what I did."

"M-maybe. And I _barely_ made it even with your help. But it still worries me, Diana."

"And that's the other conclusion I came to." Diana said. "...you were right about me. I _did_ lose track of myself in my grief. If you hadn't tried to stop me…I don't know if I would've caught myself until I was too late. So thank you."

Akko thought for a moment. "Wait...so what's blocking me is…"

The brick wall she had hit was Diana herself. The magic couldn't get through because Diana's defenses were blocking her, however subconsciously.

Akko swung her legs over the side of the bed, much to Diana's distress. "Wait, you shouldn't move around, you're not-!"

But Akko was already sitting across from her, and made a quick grab for her hands. "Diana, I can't _ever_ thank you enough even if I had the rest of my life. So I gotta do this _one_ thing for you, otherwise there's absolutely no way I'm gonna be able to rest. Don't you want your magic back?"

"What? I...of course I do. But-"

"No, no buts. Be selfish, Diana, just this once."

Diana looked like she wanted to argue the point more too. The conflict was clear on her features. But with Akko remaining steadfast and earnest, how could Diana say no?

"...I do." Diana said. "I want my magic back."

Akko beamed. "Then help me fix this for you like you fixed me!"

Diana laid her other hand atop of Akko's.

It was something that should not have worked, nor should have been strictly possible. It didn't come from Akko's belief in her own magic, because she honestly had no idea that it would work.

Rather, it was powered simply by her belief in them. In Diana, in herself, and that this was the right thing to do. And with the link that had once existed between them, Akko let the magic course through her hands to the girl, the witch, across from her.

She knew Diana wished for this too, because the dam parted ways.

The magic flowed through her being like an unstoppable river. Pushed forward by Akko's will and pulled along by Diana's desire, working in silent tandem. The echoes of the exchange rippled through the air. The very lights overhead flickered as the balance shifted from one to another.

Akko peeked open an eye, watching the emerald colored energy swirling around their joint hands like a vortex. She suddenly pulled Diana forward and pressed their lips together.

She supposed it could be called a thank you. But frankly, she just wanted to kiss her.

Diana's hand grabbed the back of her head and pulled her closer. Akko's heart skipped a beat as she felt Diana's lips curve into a smile against her own.

By the time they reluctantly pulled apart, the energy had long since settled. Diana's lashes fluttered. She was breathless. Akko, however was spent, and flopped back down onto the bed.

Once she regained her senses, Diana hesitantly picked her wand from her belt.

And with but a thought, the tip crackled with pure, magic energy, just as it should have.

"...I don't believe it..." Diana's voice was barely a whisper. "It's…it's back!"

Akko weakly grinned. "...told you I'd do it…"

"A-Akko...you...you beautiful wonderful girl! You...you actually…!"

She haphazardly kissed Akko again, quick and sloppy. It was always so rare to see her so outwardly emotional. And when she caught wind of the nurse, standing shocked at the other side of the room, Diana hid behind her hands with a helpless noise, somewhere between crying tears of joy and dying of embarrassment.

Akko couldn't describe what the noise did to her insides.

Only a short moment later, someone hurriedly knocked on the door and let herself in. "Excuse me?" Lotte said to the nurse. "We were out in the hall and we saw the lights flicker. Is everything-?"

She gasped, hands over her mouth. Akko's eyes lit up as they met Lotte's, and even more as she looked behind her, and saw everyone else.

"Y-you're...awake!" Lotte cried. "Oh my gosh! W-we were all so worried and-and-!"

Lotte and Sucy rushed her before anyone else could even speak, hopping onto the bed and squeezing their teammate tightly, beaming ear to ear. Lotte was beside herself, and even Sucy had a rare smile decorating her cheeks.

Akko couldn't return the hugs fast enough. "G-guys!"

Diana giggled. "Girls, please! Give her at least a _second_."

And then the rest bounded into the room. Amanda laughed out loud, and ruffled her hair. Hannah and Barbara, Jasminka and Constanze, none of them could contain themselves, excitedly talking over each other about how great it was she was awake, how much they missed her, and more than a few belated birthday wishes.

Akko could barely catch a single distinct word of any of it. But, turning red from all the affection, she understood the general gist.

* * *

"It was the lingering effects of the Mana Tapper." Croix said to Ursula. "The kid's magic was still stabilizing, and because her body hadn't closed it off yet, _that_ was what allowed her to transfer the excess."

"It was a miracle, Croix." Ursula shot back. "She always was someone who wanted to share her magic with the world. That was just her working to make her dream come true."

"Ha. Yeah, no. If it wasn't that, then the only explanation is Diana's magic _wanted_ to go back. Nature abhors a vacuum, right? The kid had two sets of magic in her, Diana had none, so it did all the work on its own."

"Or maybe she had a believing heart, and the strength of her friends to help her."

"Ugh, no, that makes no sense. Okay I got it. We all shared our magic with them with the Yggdrasil thing, right? So maybe, they're like natural mana conductors now!"

"It's magic, Croix! You don't always have to deconstruct it."

Akko's thoughts were too preoccupied to join in their speculation. Maybe one of the explanations was right, maybe not. It really didn't matter.

Not long after everyone left for the night, she had enjoyed a big, hearty meal, a hot shower, and then passed out. When she woke up the next day, after a peaceful, uninterrupted sleep, her hand immediately snapped to the back of her neck. As she checked out of the nurse's office, she suspected it would be a while until she could convince her brain the nightmares were over for good.

Diana, along with Headmistress Holbrooke, walked into the barren lab for what would be the final time, and Akko was anxious to hear what Diana had to say after having a night to herself to make sure her magic was well in truly in order.

"Miss Kagari!" Holbrooke cheerfully greeted her. "I heard you were given a clean bill of health, but it's a relief to my old heart to see you up and about again. How do you feel?"

"...Sore." Akko shrugged. "But I'm okay. Just glad to be done with the parasite."

"I can imagine. Speaking of that, you might be interested to know, the Remembrance Mirror had broken just the other day!"

"What? How did it break?"

"Magic mirrors have always been fickle things. So susceptible to changes in magic. That's how the parasite managed to worm its way in there, after all. There had been so much stress put on it, I suspect it was just pushed past her limits."

And with the Remembrance Mirror gone, and all the professors' work on the other mirrors, that meant no one else would have to go through what she did.

' _Good._ '

Holbrooke looked around the remains of the lab. "Normally, none of you wouldn't be allowed back in this tower, but of course, given the circumstances, I think we can forgive that, just this once." She said, with a kind smile. "You might call it a birthday treat."

Ursula clapped her hands together. "That's very generous of you, Headmistress!"

"We're also willing to strike this unfortunate detention from your record." Holbrooke said. "So...if you should happen to talk to your parents soon about...recent circumstances…"

Akko was about to ask what she meant by that, before the realization set in. It wasn't just a _kind_ smile. It was also a 'please don't sue us' smile.

She laughed. "I'll be sure to tell them how many great friends I had here to help me get my act together!"

Holbrooke let out a sigh of relief. "That sounds quite lovely, indeed. While we can't _officially_ approve of what you Nine did here, you should know, at least off the record, you've done a great wonder."

Ursula explained a few of the finer points of what had transpired to the aged headmistress. Croix, who still technically was not supposed to be here, kept to herself.

And somewhat shyly, Akko approached Diana. "So...how are you doing?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Did everything go alright at checkout?"

"Nurse is still mad at me for doing that, but...I don't mind. It was the right thing to do."

"I can understand her point. I can't express my gratitude for you cleaning this up for me...though I could've managed another day for you to recover."

"I made you wait long enough." Akko said. "So is it okay...?

Diana placed a finger to her chin. "It's all back, yes. And it's not lesser or even weaker in any way. You did good."

"But…?"

"It's...bent. It's almost like a stutter. It works. It's _there_. But it slips from me sometimes. After the strain the device put on it, I'm slightly out of sync with it."

Akko couldn't understand what it all meant, but she was disappointed Diana was still reaping the consequences.

"Don't blame yourself." Diana assured her. "It's still in me, thanks to you. And with some work, I suspect I'll be able to fix this completely. It'll just take some extra practice, that's all. In fact, there's something I should show you…"

Diana confidently waved her wand, and her magic sparkled at the tip of her wand. But nothing happened. Diana hummed, annoyed, and cast it again.

Within a moment, Diana's Mana Diagram was displayed between them. True to her words, the round, holographic plant was as full and lush as it always was. Not a piece of it was damaged or out of place.

Except, for one branch which Diana pointed to. "See that mark? It didn't exist a few days ago."

Its luster was far different from both the rest of the plant, and from Beatrix's ancestral marks. Beatrix's had a holy, ethereal glow to it, whereas the new branch had a darker, more wooden color to it.

"What is it?"

"For one witch to use another's magic should be impossible. But we managed to make our magics in-sync with one another, and they...mixed. This mark is, in essence, yours."

Akko's face scrunched up. "I...I mean maybe I handled it too rough, or-?"

Diana snorted. "Not like that. Beatrix and Woodward's blessings left a mark on you, as a sign of their influence. And when we checked your Signature again to ensure the parasite was gone, I left a similar mark on your signature. In some sense...we seemed to have casted a sort of blessing on one-another."

Akko's eyes widened. "So...we're like... _linked_ now…like we're part of each other."

Diana's lips parted as she became acutely aware that Holbrooke, Ursula and Croix were all engaged in their exchange. She quickly dispelled the hologram, pretending she wasn't blushing.

"...T-that's perhaps... _one_ way to phrase it, if you desired." She said. "In _any_ case, that interference is what caused me to fall out of sync with my magic, and I should be able to overcome it with time."

"Well, if you ever fall back on your school stuff because of this stutter, then I'll help you out! I'll train with you every day until you don't even notice this stutter anymore!"

"I wouldn't ask you to do that." Diana said, almost instinctively.

"Dianaaaa…"

"Right, right, my apologies." Diana shook her head. "I would be _honored_ if you took the time to do something like that for me."

The possibilities of what this new bond might entail made Akko excited. And if Diana was going to have to re-learn the basics for a short while, then Akko could gladly help her along until she got back to her usual, outstanding self.

Croix loudly cleared her throat, making herself known. "So we're all acknowledging I was the one who invented that spell, right? Plus that all my labor on the Mana Tapper that fixed this?"

"Oh, Croix…" Ursula sighed.

"Hey, I'm about to be blasted with a parole violation. I don't think it's _that_ wrong to ask for a little credit…"

Akko turned to Holbrooke. "You're not gonna let Croix get in trouble, right? It was _my_ fault she's here! And without her and Constanze, I never would've made it."

Holbrooke raised her brows. "Why, I don't _what_ you're talking about. Miss Meridies never even set foot on Luna Nova grounds. As far as I know, she's been in the East Mogiana Republic this entire time. Isn't that right?"

The headmistress had a sly smile on her aged face. Croix was left speechless.

"I…" Croix quickly shut her mouth and caught on. "...You should reimburse Chariot's vacation days too."

"Of course."

"...and maybe give her a little bonus for her troubles."

Ursula blushed almost as red as her hair. "C-Croix!"

"Hey, once a supervillain…"

With a small chuckle, Croix turned to Akko.

Croix rubbed at the back of her neck. "Kid. Uh, Akko. I...should clear out of here before anyone else sees me and uh...I know things might've been awkward with our personal history, but I wanted to…"

Akko nodded. "Thanks, Croix. For everything."

Croix lightly patted the girl on the shoulder. "Y-yeah. Well, just...don't give Chariot any more stress, alright?"

With very genuine enthusiasm, rejuvenated by the first real success she had in so many years, she turned to her red haired partner.

"You ready to get back on vacation, Chari?"

"Oh?" Ursula teased. "I thought East Mogiana was a research trip."

Croix smirked. "You kidding? I think we earned a weekend to ourselves. We never did check out that one restaurant you told me about."

"I would be delighted…"Ursula performed a showy little curtsy with her dress as she took Croix's hand, before something suddenly caught her attention. "Oh! Wait, just a second, before we go!"

She left Croix's side and quickly enveloped Akko in her arms.

"I'm not sure how much it means coming from me, but...I'm proud of you. I can really see the amazing witch you're growing up to be."

"Ursula…"

"Still...it can be easy to fall back into bad habits. Just be sure you have someone to watch your back, okay?"

Akko glanced over her shoulder, where Croix and Diana were engaged in Luna Nova's most begrudging handshake.

"I think I got just the thing."

* * *

Ursula and Croix went back to vacation soon after, relieved to be able to have some time alone together without a ticking clock over their heads.

Diana had left to work a personal project, and Akko spent a solid chunk of the afternoon destressing, until she eventually met up with Hannah and Amanda, who were eager to catch up with her.

Amanda folded her arms behind her head. "I always knew you'd pull through, Akko. Never doubted ya for a second!"

Hannah's bemused smile made her wonder how true that really was. "You know, you...look nice today."

Akko nodded. "Got a good night's sleep for the first time in forever."

"Never taking those for granted again, huh?"

"Yeah! No kidding!"

They went out the cafeteria doors towards the field, and Akko enjoyed the cool air on her skin. It seemed like the perfect evening for a walk, which was likely why Hannah had insisted they go this way.

Hannah glanced at Amanda out of the corner of her eye. Amanda snuck her hand around Hannah's. It seemed far kinder than her usual, over-the-top shows of affection Akko expected. Maybe _she_ longer had anything to prove either.

"I still can't believe you two are together." Akko mused.

"Heh." Amanda shrugged, unabashed. "It's pretty nice, all in all. Plus with all this _drama_ done, it'll be nice to ditch school for a while and actually hang out together."

"Are you two going somewhere?" Akko said, and then gasped. "Is it a date?"

"Yeah, _my_ date." Amanda smiled. "Hannah found a show in town, taking her out tomorrow. Actually got a nice night planned out."

"Though we were talking," Hannah said, "and do you and Diana wanna make it a double date? I'm sure you'd like the show. It's about the kinda adventure type stuff you're all about."

Akko shook her head. "Nah, you two go without me. I think I'm kind of all adventured out for a _long_ time."

Amanda blinked. "Really? That doesn't really sound like you."

"I mean sure, I don't want things to get _boring_. The thing is, I used to think everything always went wrong for me. But after going through all that, I think…I might have it pretty good here as it is."

"You do realize you were unconscious for like half a week?"

"No, I know! But still, woke up, didn't I? I made all those dumb mistakes, and I still had all of you guys supporting me, and then I got the chance to fix most of them. _And_ I got the best girlfriend in the world. As dumb as it is...I _like_ my life."

Amanda gave her a playful knock on the shoulder. "Hell yeah, Kagari."

After a moment, Hannah quickly added, "Oh, and by the way you only got the _second_ best girlfriend."

Akko elbowed her. "Ha! You wish!"

"I mean I'm sure Diana's... _fine_ , I lived with her for a while, but like really if we're ranking them…"

Amanda pinched her temples. "Oh my god…"

"Maybe we _do_ gotta go on a double date, sometime!" Akko challenged. "Just so you can see for yourselves how lucky I _really_ am!"

"Sure, sure." Hannah evenly dismissed her. "But I'm just saying, Amanda and I have _really_ hit it off while you were in the nurse's office, and I gotta say, I don't know _how_ you think you could compare."

"God, _stop_." Amanda rolled her eyes. "You two are the most exhausting people…"

Hannah grinned to herself. It took a while, but eventually her mood proved once again infectious to Amanda.

The three of them turned the corner out towards the field.

"Anyway...I'm glad I got such great friends." Akko said, and then giggled. "Is that the wrong lesson to learn from this?"

"The whole thing was just a dumb accident, right?" Hannah said. "I don't think there's _any_ lesson here. But I guess if you're happy, then no one's stopping you!"

"I'm excited to see what next year's gonna bring, but to be honest, I hope I can go the rest of the summer without any more-"

" _Surprise!_ "

The collective shout nearly made Akko jump out of her skin.

Spread out across Luna Nova's field were banners, streamers, balloons and party refreshments, along with just about everyone she knew in school. Barbara and Lotte, Sucy and Jasminka, Wangari and the News Network, Molly and Sarah, Avery and Chloe.

Even Andrew and Frank had shown up, holding brightly wrapped presents. Amanda and Hannah happily brushed past her, right under a giant streamer with her name on it.

" _Happy (Belated) Birthday, Akko!_ "

She could hardly believe her eyes. "Wait, is this…?"

Diana strolled over to her, looking quite pleased with herself, and hooked their hands together. "I realize it's rather late. But you didn't truly think we wouldn't celebrate your birthday, did you?"

"I...I thought you were working on a personal project!"

Sucy snickered. "This _is_ the personal project, you dolt. Wipe that look off your face and come do something about this party we worked so hard on for you."

Jasminka snuck up behind Diana and Akko and cheerily ushered them forward towards the party, reveling in the dumbstruck look on the latter's face.

"You should join us, it's _your_ party after all!" Jasminka said. "I even tried to make that cake you told Diana about. It's so soft and fluffy looking, you're going to love it!"

"Yeah!" Barbara said, raising her cup. "Come on, we got _days_ ' worth of stuff to catch up on now that you two are back!"

Lotte heartily agreed. "Have some fun, Akko! After all, you definitely deserve something to celebrate getting better!"

Constanze, with no Stanbot in sight, beamed ear to ear. "...Happy birthday." She spoke up.

Akko could only look between all the bright decorations and bright faces, wordlessly running a hand through her hair. She turned to Diana.

"You _planned_ this?"

"In my defense, I planned this a _long_ time ago." Diana said. "Certain complications arose, but you'd be surprised how quick everyone was to get re-organized when I asked last night."

"I...I don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything. I've been working on this for a while, so if you'd like to repay me, then please just enjoy yourself. We can do some magic training and work out the rest tomorrow."

With so many people gathered here, just for her, how could Akko say no?

"...well, okay!" Akko relented. "This isn't _really_ how I wanted my birthday to go, but I still gotta thank everyone _else_ for working so hard!"

"You'll have plenty of time to figure it out, I suppose. You truly think after all of that, I'm going to leave you hanging?"

Akko and Diana, hand in hand, walked further into the school grounds, ready to join all their friends in a homely celebration.

"No, Akko." Diana said. "You're _my_ silly girl."

* * *

 _A.N. But Supa wasn't Akko's birthday like four months ag- listen shut up._

 _...Actually, the original draft_ did _have her wake up on time, buuut I decided to be meta._

 _Sooo glad this is finally done. Even with all the delays and setbacks, projects this long take a lot out of me mentally. But it's been fun too, and despite everything, I'm happy how it turned out and that don't happen too often!_ _Thank you all for reading! I hope you all enjoyed it too!_


End file.
